Yu Tames the Flood

Yu the Great Controls the Waters

Gun failed damming the flood with stolen xirang and was slain; his son Yu dredged the nine rivers instead, passing his own door three times without entering, until the land was safe.

In Emperor Yao's time the flood reached heaven. Gun stole the Emperor's self-growing soil to build dams and failed; Yu, his son, took up the task and changed strategy from blocking to dredging. He cut channels through nine mountains and guided the nine rivers, working so hard that the hair was worn from his legs. Three times he passed his own door without entering. After thirteen years "the nine provinces were settled," and Yu received the throne, founding the Xia dynasty as the paragon of the sage-ruler.