Yu the Great facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yu禹 |
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Song Dynasty depiction of Yu
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| Predecessor | Shun |
| Successor | Qi |
| Born | 2123 BC |
| Died | 2025 BC (aged 98) |
| Issue | Qi of Xia |
| Father | Gun |
| Yu the Great | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 大禹 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Yu the Great (born around 2123 BC, died 2025 BC) was a famous leader in ancient China. He is known for solving huge floods, starting China's first dynasty called the Xia dynasty, and being a very good and honest person. Many stories about him are part of the Chinese legend "Great Yu Who Controlled the Waters."
The time Yu lived was long before China's oldest written records, which are from the late Shang dynasty. Yu's name wasn't found on anything from his time or on these early records. His name first appeared on objects made much later, during the Western Zhou period (around 1045–771 BC). Because of this, some people wonder if Yu was a real person or more of a legend.
Some historians think stories about Yu were told by people for many years before they were written down. Others believe Yu might have started as a god or a mythical animal and later became known as a human leader. Many tales about Yu are found in the famous book Records of the Grand Historian by Sima Qian. Yu and other wise ancient Chinese rulers were praised by teachers like Confucius for their good values. Yu is one of the few Chinese leaders given the special title "the Great" after he died.
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Yu's Family and Early Life
According to old Chinese records, Yu was a great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor. Yu's father, Gun, was also a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. Yu might have been born in a place called Mount Wen, which is in modern-day Sichuan Province. His mother was from the Youxin clan. Yu's family name was Si, and his personal name was Wenming.
When Yu was a child, his father Gun moved their people east to the Central Plain. The Emperor Yao made Gun a lord in a place called Chong. So, Yu likely grew up near the Yellow River. Later, Yu married a woman known as Lady Tushan. They had a son named Qi, which means "revelation." The exact location of Lady Tushan's home, Mount Tu, is still debated today.
Yu's Character
The Records of the Grand Historian describes Yu as a trustworthy, hardworking, and clever person. He was also known for his strong moral character.
Yu the Great Controls the Waters
During the time of Emperor Yao, the heartland of China suffered from terrible floods. These floods stopped people from building and growing. Yu's father, Gun, was given the job of stopping the floods. He worked for over nine years, building many dikes and dams. But his efforts did not work, possibly because he tried to block the water too much.
When Yu grew up, he continued his father's work. He carefully studied the rivers to understand why his father's plan failed. Yu worked with Hou Ji, a master of farming. Together, they created a successful system to control the floods. Instead of just blocking the rivers, Yu built irrigation canals. These canals helped move floodwater away into fields. He also worked hard to dig out the mud from the riverbeds.
Yu is said to have worked and slept with the common workers. He spent most of his time helping with the dredging for thirteen years. This hard work of digging and building canals was a huge success. It allowed ancient Chinese culture to thrive along the Yellow River and other waterways. This project made Yu famous throughout Chinese history. It is known as "Great Yu Controls the Waters" (Chinese: 大禹治水; pinyin: Dà Yǔ Zhì Shuǐ). One important task was opening a narrow channel at Mount Longmen on the Yellow River. This channel blocked water from flowing to the ocean. Yu led many workers to open it, and it is now called "Yu's Gateway."
Amazing Stories About Yu
Some mythical stories say that Yu got help from a yellow dragon and a black turtle. Another local story says Yu created the Sanmenxia "Three Passes Gorge" on the Yangzi River. He supposedly cut through a mountain ridge with a special battle-axe to control the floods. This might refer to a very hard stone that could carve rock.
Traditional tales say Yu sacrificed a lot for his work. His hands were said to be very rough, and his feet were covered in calluses. One common story tells that Yu had only been married for four days when he started fighting the flood. He told his wife he didn't know when he would return. During the thirteen years of flooding, he passed his home three times. Each time, he refused to go inside. The first time, he heard his wife was having their baby. The second time, his son could already call out to him. His family begged him to come home, but he said he couldn't because the flood was still happening. The third time, his son was over ten years old. Each time, Yu refused to enter his home. He said that since so many people were homeless because of the flood, he could not rest.
The Nine Provinces of China
Emperor Shun, who ruled after Yao, was very impressed by Yu's engineering skills and hard work. He decided to give the throne to Yu instead of his own son. Yu at first said no, but he was so popular with other local leaders that he agreed to become the new emperor at age 53. He set up his capital in Anyi and started what is now called the Xia dynasty. This is traditionally seen as China's first dynasty.
Yu's flood control work made him very familiar with all parts of the Chinese land at that time. According to his writings in the Book of Documents, Yu divided the Chinese "world" into nine areas called zhou or provinces. These were Jizhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Liangzhou, and Yongzhou.
After he received bronze from these nine areas, he made special ding vessels. These were called the Nine Tripod Cauldrons. Yu then set up his capital in Yang City. Some records say Yu killed a northern leader named Fangfeng to make his rule stronger.
Yu's Death and Legacy
According to ancient records, Yu ruled the Xia Dynasty for forty-five years. He died from an illness at Mount Kuaiji, near present-day Shaoxing. He was on a trip to the eastern border of his empire. Yu was buried there. The Yu mausoleum, or tomb, that we see today was first built in the 6th century AD to honor him. It is located southeast of Shaoxing city. Most of the building has been rebuilt many times over the years. The mausoleum has three main parts: Yu's tomb, a temple, and a memorial. In many statues, Yu is shown holding an ancient hoe, a tool for digging. Many emperors in later times visited this place to hold ceremonies in his honor, including Qin Shi Huang.
Was Yu a Real Person?
Since there are no written records about Yu from his own time, some people debate if he was a real person. No writings on objects from Yu's supposed era, or on later oracle bones, mention him. The first archaeological proof of Yu comes from vessels made about a thousand years after he supposedly died, during the Western Zhou dynasty.
Some historians from the early 1900s thought Yu might not have been a person in the oldest legends. They suggested he might have been a god or a mythical animal linked to water. They believed he was shown on ancient bronze objects by the early Xia people. Then, by the start of the Zhou Dynasty, this legendary figure changed into the first man who could control water.
However, archaeologists have found evidence of a very large flood on the Yellow River around 1920 BCE. This time matches when new cultures appeared along the Yellow River. The problems with water control after this flood could have lasted for about twenty years. Some researchers think this supports the idea that the stories of Yu the Great might have come from a real historical person.
Yu's Impact and Honor
Yu was seen as a perfect ruler and a wise leader by ancient Chinese people. Several places in Sichuan province, like Beichuan and Wenchuan, claim to be his birthplace.
Because he helped control China's mythical Great Flood, Yu also became known as a water god in Taoism and Chinese folk religions. He is the main leader of the "Five Kings of the Water Immortals." These kings are honored in temples dedicated to Mazu, where they are seen as protectors of ships.
Yu's personal name eventually became a Chinese family name. The name came from a small kingdom called Yǔ. After this kingdom was conquered, its people took Yu as their family name.
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See also
In Spanish: Yu el Grande para niños
