Master of Water Controller: Dayu
By admin on 2014-12-26

The Yellow River is the cradle of the Chinese nation. She has fostered generations of Chinese but she has also brought troubles with her floods. The diligent Chinese people have been struggling to control the water of the river for generations.

Dayu was a famous water controller in the first dynasty of China more than 4000 years ago. His father Gun (鲧) was also a water controller, who was sentenced to death by the king Shun (舜) because of his failure to control the water by plugging up its flow. Dayu inherited his father's experience, and after much investigation and research, he found the reason for the floods. He thought that the floods damaged the banks in the lower areas because of the speed of the flow pouring from its high cradleland. He led his people dredging, dispersing and leading the flow down to the lower area then successfully preventing the water from flooding.

Dayu worked very hard. He had been working in controlling water for 13 years. During these periods he did not go back his home, even 3 times stopping by. This became a good example of which Chinese people are proud. The legend about him is in reality a reflection of the ancient Chinese people who struggled against the floods of the Yellow River.

Because of his success in controlling water Dayu obtained the crown vacated by Shun according to the doctrine of handing the crown to the talented after abdication of the king. But it was Dayu who passed his power to his own son Qi (启) by establishing the hereditary system. Then Qi founded the Xia (夏) Dynasty, the first Chinese dynasty recorded.