20 Xia Yu

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Xia Yu's name was Wenming. His father was Gun, Gun's father was Emperor Zhuanxu, Zhuanxu's father was Changyi, and Changyi's father was Huangdi the Yellow Emperor. Yu is the great-great-grandson of Huangdi and the grandson of Zhuanxu. Neither Yu's great-grandfather Changyi nor his father Gun ascended to the throne, they were only ministers. During the reign of Emperor Yao, the floods were sky-high all over the world, surrounded the mountains and submerged the hills, and the people all over the world were suffering from the floods. Yao asked if someone who could control the floods. The Siyue and ministers all said that Gun could do the job.  Yao said: "It's impossible. Gun had betrayed his duties and destroyed his clan." The Siyue all said: "He is better than nothing, it won't work until you try!" So Yao listened and Gun was then put to use. And after nine years. floods kept on going, Gun had proved to be useless. So Emperor Yao inquired about it again, and then he got Shun. Shun was then placed in use and acted on behalf of the emperor, and went on the hunting cruises for inspections. And he found out that the floods were out of total control under the management of Gun, So Yao sent Gun on exile to Yushan the Feather Mountain and died there. Everyone in the world believed that’s justice. At this time, Shun chose Gun's son Yu to continue his father’s career.

After Yao's death, Emperor Shun asked Siyue: "Who can be a better choice to hold the official position to accomplish Yao's cause?" Everyone said: "If Bo Yu to be appointed Sikong, Yao's cause would be better accomplished." Emperor Shun said: "Ah! That's it." So he made the appointment to Yu and said: "You are going to take care of the business with water and earth, and you must work hard." Yu knelt down and kowtowed, and humbly gave way to Qi, Houji, and Gao Yao. But Shun said, "You'd better go now and do your job."

Yu was quick and hard-working, morally upright, benevolent and peaceful, and honest in nature; whatever he said could be regarded as law, his body could be taken as measurement, and his actions could be used as the standards, and he was diligent and dignified, and he set the perfect example of the principles and disciplines for all.

司马迁·史记卷二·夏本纪第二

夏禹，名曰文命。禹之父曰鲧，鲧之父曰帝颛顼，颛顼之父曰昌意，昌意之父曰黄帝。禹者，黄帝之玄孙而帝颛顼之孙也。禹之曾大父昌意及父鲧皆不得在帝位，为人臣。当帝尧之时，鸿水滔天，浩浩怀山襄陵，下民其忧。尧求能治水者，群臣四岳皆曰鲧可。尧曰：“鲧为人负命毁族，不可。”四岳曰：“等之未有贤于鲧者，愿帝试之。”于是尧听四岳，用鲧治水。九年而水不息，功用不成。于是帝尧乃求人，更得舜。舜登用，摄行天子之政，巡狩。行视鲧之治水无状，乃殛鲧于羽山以死。天下皆以舜之诛为是。于是舜举鲧子禹，而使续鲧之业。

尧崩，帝舜问四岳曰：“有能成美尧之事者使居官？”皆曰：“伯禹为司空，可成美尧之功。”舜曰：“嗟，然！”命禹：“女平水土，维是勉之。”禹拜稽首，让于契、后稷、皋陶。舜曰：“女其往视尔事矣。”

禹为人敏给克勤；其德不违，其仁可亲，其言可信；声为律，身为度，称以出；亹亹穆穆，为纲为纪。