Dayu

Dayu – Yu the Great

Yu the Great, an ancient hero in prehistoric times is known for conquering deluge. He is also the mythical founder of the Xia Dynasty. Because of his contribution, people call him Dayu in Chinese with Da means great.

Dayu – Conquering Deluge

In prehistoric times people suffered from torrential deluge. The situation became worse while Shun was the leader. Under Shun, Gun (the father of Dayu) got the problem under control. He used a method of building banks with soil and blocking the holes. However, after nine years of hard work, this traditional way no longer worked well. Dayu was then ordered to succeed his father trying to conquer the deluge. Drawing from his father's experiences, Dayu found a way of digging channels to conduct water to the sea. After thirteen years of fighting against the billowy deluge, he finally solved the problem.

Dayu – Developing Agriculture

After conquering the deluge, Dayu organized people to develop agriculture by fully utilizing water and soil. He let his son teach people how to plant rice and other crops. In addition, fish, ducks, and geese were bred under the guidance of Dayu. With his help, people lived happy lives.

Dayu – Legends about Him

What makes Dayu more remarkable is that just four days after his marriage he left home to conquer the deluge. And for thirteen years, he never went into his home (Tushan Mountain) although passing it three times. Even though his son was born during this period, he didn't return. Since at that time, the ruler was usually chosen according to ability, Dayu was supported by the people and recommended by Shun to succeed him. In 2070 BC, Dayu established the Xia Dynasty with his capital in Yangcheng (Dengfeng, Henan Province). That opened a new era in Chinese history.

Dayu is admired not only for his unremitting endeavors to fight against nature but also for forgetting about his own interests in order to help other people.