Emperor Yu
A grandson of Yellow Emperor Xuan Yuan, Emperor Yu’s family name was Si and given name Wenming. A generous man, Yu was very diligent. He was known for his virtues. His kindness made people want to be close to him and people believed what he said. People were willing to follow what he said and did. He was a leader people looked too. Gun, his father, received orders from emperor Yao to stop floods. He was executed for his failure. Emperor Shun ordered Yu to continue what his fathered failed to do and appointed Yu to the post of Minister of Works. Learning from his father’s failures in controlling the flood, Yu adopted different method of leading waters away. He opened channels and leveled blocks so that the water could be led into big rivers. During the 13 years when the project lasted, Yu work toiled despite wind and rain, and put his heart and soul in the work. He got married at 30 in Tushan and said goodbye to his newly wed wife after three nights. Later he had three opportunities to see his wife on his way to somewhere, but he did not have time to go in and see his wife. Yu confined himself to simple food and simple garments. Government offices under him were not allowed to enjoy any luxuries. Yu carried out water control projects by renovating ditches and cannels. Yu carried a plough and a spade to the fields and worked there to set a good example to people.
Yu formulated a policy of tributes, which decided on the tributes different places should send to the court based on respective local special products. This police was named “Determination of Tributes”. In order to commemorate Yu’s achievements, Shang Shu, an ancient book, named its first chapter as Yu’s Tributes. Yu held, “Virtue lies only in good administration and the purpose of governance is providing for people.” He made a suggestion to Emperor Shun that only nine kinds of things could be called achievements and only these nine achievements should be advocated for a government. Emperor Shun spoke highly of Yu’s suggestion. He applauded Yu’s achievements by saying to the effect that the chaotic world came back to peace and it was a great achievement on which 10,000 generations could rely for prosperity.
Yu was conferred on Duke of Xia. For this reason, Yu was also known as Duke Yu. Later, Emperor Yu passed the throne to Yu, who set up the Xia Dynasty, the first dynasty in Chinese history.
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