Dynasties of ChinaXia dynastyXia dynasty lineage
Reign —
It is said that after 13 years of controlling floods, he received Shun's abdication, divided the nine states and the alliance of princes, and laid the foundation of Xia Dynasty.
Yu was the son of Gun. "Historical Records" stated that he was the great-great-grandson of Huangdi and the grandson of Zhuanxu. This genealogy was traced back by later generations. It is said that during the time of Yao and Shun, the floods were monstrous. Gun used the method of building embankments to control the floods for nine years without success, and was executed in Yushan. Shun Ju Gun's son Yu continued to control the floods. Together with Bo Yi and Hou Ji, Yu changed the blockade to dredging. "He lived outside for thirteen years and did not dare to enter the house." Finally, the floods were calmed down.
In his later years, Shun recommended Yu as his successor. After Shun's death, Yu became the emperor, and his country was named Queen of Xia. According to legend, its capital was Yangcheng. The Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project sets the first year of Xia as approximately 2070 BC. He gathered the princes at Tushan, "holding jade and silk for all nations"; and after convening a group in Kuaiji, he killed the Fangfeng clan who was late, and the authority of the co-lord was thus established. Later generations said that he demarcated Kyushu, appointed soil as tribute, and cast Jiuding. These records are mostly found in documents after the Warring States period, and may not be the true facts at that time.
Yu first promoted Gao Tao as his successor, but Gao Tao died early. He then promoted Bo Yi and handed over the political affairs to him. According to "Historical Records", in the tenth year after he ascended the throne, Yu visited the east and died in Kuaiji. After his death, the throne eventually went to his son Qi, and the transition from abdication to hereditary rule began. No contemporary writings of the Xia Dynasty have been found so far, and Yu's deeds are all recounted by later generations. However, the Suigong Yu inscription in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty shows that the legend of Dayu's flood control had been circulated three thousand years ago.
Whether Yu was a real person is still debated in academic circles, but the legend of Dayu's flood control has been widely circulated in Western Zhou at least, and has profoundly shaped the Chinese people's understanding of the origin of the country. According to the legend, Yu was diligent and self-denying, and was regarded as a model of a holy king by both Confucian and Mohist families. After his death, the throne was changed from abdication to hereditary, which also marked the formation of an early country. However, systems such as Jiuzhou, Jiuding, and tribute are mostly derived from descendants and cannot be directly regarded as the actual situation in early Xia.
SocietyGun's failure to control floods
According to legend, floods occurred during the Yao period, and the four mountains recommended Gun to control the floods. Gun tried to build embankments and block them, but failed for nine years. After Shun became regent, he inspected various places and thought that Gun was unable to control the floods, so he was executed at Yushan.
PoliticsOrdered to control floods
Shun Ju Gun's son Yu inherited his father's business and ordered Bo Yi and Hou Ji to assist him. Yu, who was "working hard and thinking", led the princes and people to "walk the mountains and trees, locate the mountains and rivers", set up markers along the mountains, and assess the situation of the mountains and rivers.
Science & technologyRules and regulations
According to "Historical Records", when Yu controlled the floods, he "left a yardstick on the left, set rules on the right, and recorded the four seasons." He used a level, ink rope, compass, and curved ruler to measure the terrain, and took advantage of the situation to dredge the river and guide the flood into the sea.
PeopleNot allowed to enter the house after three visits
According to "Shang Shu·Yi Ji", Yu married Tu Shanshi's daughter and left home to control floods four days after the marriage. His son Qi cried after he was born, and he had no time to raise him. "Historical Records" says that he "lived abroad for thirteen years and dared not enter the house".
PoliticsDivide Kyushu
According to legend, after Yu controlled the floods, he divided the world into Ji, Yan, Qing, Xu, Yang, Jing, Yu, Liang, Yong and Jiuzhou. The "Shang Shu·Yu Gong" that records this event is named after Da Yu. Most scholars believe that it was written during the Warring States period, but the concept of "Yu Painting Kyushu" has a long history.
Lasting legacy"Jiuzhou" is still the synonym for China; "Yu Gong" is regarded as one of the earliest regional geographical works in China and is still a basic document for the study of ancient geography.
EconomyLet the soil make tribute
According to "Gong of Yu", Yu divided the fields in each state into nine grades according to the fertility of the soil, and stipulated tribute according to the products. For example, Xuzhou paid tribute to five-color soil, and Yangzhou and Jingzhou paid tribute to "three-grade gold" and ivory, leather, and feathers. This reflects the understanding of early tributes by people in the Warring States period.
Politicsaccession following abdication Jianxia
After Shun's death, Yu fled to Yangcheng and gave way to Shun's son Shangjun. However, all the princes in the world left Shangjun to go to court with Yu, who then became the emperor. His country was named Queen of Xia and his surname was Si. The Xia–Shang–Zhou Chronology Project places the first year of Xia at approximately 2070 BC.
SocietyAll in Yangcheng
According to legend, Yu’s capital was Yangcheng. Archaeologists have discovered a city site from the late Longshan Culture in Wangchenggang, Dengfeng, Henan. The date range is roughly the same as that of the legendary Yu. Some scholars believe that it is "Yu Du Yangcheng", but there is currently no written evidence.
DiplomacyTushan meeting
According to "Zuo Zhuan", Yu met with the princes at Tushan, "holding jade and silk from all nations." The "country" here mostly refers to tribes and settlements, which shows that the royal power in the early Xia Dynasty used alliances to maintain its co-ownership status. There are many versions of the location of Tushan, including Huaiyuan in Anhui and Shaoxing in Zhejiang.
PoliticsZhu Fangfengshi
According to "Guoyu Luyu", Yu summoned the leaders of various tribes in Kuaiji Mountain. Fangfeng was late, so Yu had him executed in public. This legend shows that the co-lord of early Xia already had the authority to punish the princes.
CultureCasting Jiuding
"Zuo Zhuan" records that during the reign of Fang Youde in Xia Dynasty, "pictures from far away were paid tribute to Jiu Mu, and the tripod was cast as an image." That is to say, the governor of Kyushu contributed copper materials to cast tripods depicting objects from various places. Later generations called it "Yu Zhu Jiuding". Jiuding was passed down to the Shang and Zhou dynasties and became a symbol of royal power.
Lasting legacyWords that are commonly used today, such as "asking for the tripod", "dingding", and "one word and nine tripods", all originate from the tradition that the nine tripods symbolize national power.
PeopleYi Di brewing wine
According to "Warring States Period Policy", the emperor's daughter ordered Yi Di to brew wine and offer it to Yu. Yu felt it was sweet after drinking it, but he distanced himself from Yi Di and gave up wine, saying, "There will be people in future generations who will destroy their country with wine." Later generations often used this to advise monarchs to drink sparingly.
PoliticsRaise Tao and benefit
After Yu ascended the throne, he recommended Gao Tao as his successor and entrusted him with political affairs. Gao Tao died before succeeding to the throne, and Yu granted his descendants the title of Ying and Liu. After that, he promoted Bo Yi and entrusted him with political affairs.
Lasting legacy"Six" is in the area of Lu'an in present-day Anhui Province. There is still the legendary tomb of Gao Tao in the east of Lu'an City.
PoliticsCollapsed in Kuaiji
According to "Historical Records", Yu made an eastward tour in the tenth year after he ascended the throne. He died when he arrived in Kuaiji and was buried on the spot. It is said that "Kuiji" means accounting for the merits of the princes. After Yu's death, there was a succession of thrones between Bo Yi and Qi.
Lasting legacyThere is Da Yu Mausoleum at the foot of Kuaiji Mountain in Shaoxing, Zhejiang. A public memorial ceremony for Da Yu is held every year. The Da Yu Ceremony has been included in the national intangible cultural heritage list.
CultureSui Gongyu inscription
The Sui Gong Yu, a mid-period Western Zhou bronze ware purchased from overseas by the Poly Art Museum in 2002, has an inscription that begins with "Heaven ordered Yu to spread the earth and follow the mountains and dredge the rivers." This is the earliest unearthed written record of Dayu's flood control that we have seen so far.
Lasting legacySuigong Yu is now in the Poly Art Museum in Beijing, proving that the legend of Dayu's water control had been spread about 2,900 years ago.
According to legend, he was the leader of the Chong tribe, also known as Chong Bo Gun. Recommended by Siyue to control floods, he built embankments to block the water for nine years without success, and was executed in Yushan. Yu inherited his father's business and used the method of guidance to achieve success.
There is the Yu family, whose name is Chonghua. According to legend, Yao was appointed as the co-ruler of the world, and he appointed Yu to control floods, Gao Tao to be in charge of punishments, Hou Ji to be in charge of agriculture, and Qi to be in charge of education. In his later years, he recommended Yu as his successor. He died in the wilderness of Cangwu during his southern tour.
According to legend, he was a "shi" in charge of prisons during the Shun Dynasty. He discussed politics with Yu in the same dynasty, and his remarks are recorded in Shangshu Gao Taomo. After Yu ascended the throne, he appointed him as his successor, but he died before succeeding to the throne.
Also known as Da Fei, it is said that he followed Yu to control floods and was in charge of mountains, rivers, birds and beasts for Shun. In his later years, Yu left political affairs to him. After Yu's death, the princes returned to Qi. Yi abdicated his throne and took refuge in the south of Jishan. It is said that he was killed by Qi.
Mingqi, the ancestor of the Zhou people. According to legend, Shun served as an agricultural officer at that time and taught the people to sow grains. He and Bo Yi assisted Yu in controlling floods. After the floods subsided, he taught the people to farm and was revered as the God of Agriculture in later generations.
According to legend, he was the son of Emperor Ku and his mother Jian Di. Zuo Yu made great achievements in controlling floods and was appointed as a disciple by Shun, in charge of education. He was granted the title of Shang and given the surname Zi. He was the ancestor of merchants.
The daughter of the Tushan tribe. According to legend, Yu left home to control floods four days after marrying her. "Lu's Spring and Autumn period" records that she asked her maid to wait for Yu in the south of Tushan, and composed the song "Waiting for the man Xi Yi", which is called the beginning of Nanyin.