Ancient China · Ruler and Flood Controller

Yu 禹

Dates uncertain

Passages: 5
Chapters: 2
Histories: 1

Overview

Yu was a ruler and Flood Controller.

Life and dates

Attested activity

legendary antiquity
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 1; Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 27

Key source chapters

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 29 Treatise on Rivers and Canals 4 passages
Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74 Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing 1 passage

Places and affiliations

Polity Xia 夏 · Relation Associated with
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 9

Events and relationships

Controlled floods
Hydraulic · Director · Years 13 · controlled floods for thirteen years; passed home without entering
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 1
Guided Yellow River
Hydraulic · Director · At from Jishi to Dapi 自積石至于大邳
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passages 7-9
Ordered the Nine Provinces
Administrative · Organizer
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 27
Set apart nine provinces
Administrative · Organizer
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passages 3-4

Source notes

Historicity legendary
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 29, passage 1
Value legendary
Directly stated · Records of the Grand Historian 74, passage 27

References in the histories

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 29Treatise on Rivers and Canals · 4 passages

《夏書》曰：禹抑洪水十三年，過家不入門。 The Xia Shu says that Yu controlled the floods for thirteen years and passed his home without entering.

於是禹以為河所從來者高，水湍悍，難以行平地，數為敗，乃二渠以引其河。 Believing the river’s source was high and its current swift and violent, he found it hard to channel across level ground and often failed, so he split it into two channels to divert it.

而道河北行二渠，復禹舊跡，而梁、楚之地復寧，無水災。 Thereafter, they diverted the Yellow River into two channels to the north, restored Yu’s old traces, and the lands of Liang and Chu again became peaceful and free of flood disaster.

太史公曰：余南登廬山，觀禹疏九江，遂至于會稽太湟，上姑蘇，望五湖； The Grand Historian says: I myself climbed the south face of Mount Lu, observed Yu’s diversion of the Nine Rivers, then went on to Kuaiji and Taihuang, ascended Gusu, and looked out over the Five Lakes;

Records of the Grand Historian, Chapter 74Biographies of Mengzi and Xun Qing · 1 passage

赤縣神州內自有九州，禹之序九州是也，不得為州數。 Within Chixian Shenzhou itself there are nine provinces: the Nine Provinces ordered by Yu. These are not counted among the outer zhou.