釋氏稽古略 1.90

1.90

His family name was Si. He was a descendant of the Yellow Emperor. Zhuanxu fathered Gun, and Gun fathered Yu. In the time of Yao, the floodwaters surged to heaven. Yao ordered Gun to regulate the waters, but Gun achieved no success, so he was banished and died. When Shun assumed the regency, he raised up Yu to continue his father's enterprise. Straining his body and agonizing his thoughts, he lived away from home for thirteen years, passing by the gate of his house without entering. Traveling by land, he rode in carriages; traveling by water, he rode in boats; traveling through mud, he rode on sledges; traveling through mountains, he rode on spiked shoes. He traveled to inspect the resources of the earth to determine tributes, as well as the advantages of the mountains and rivers. Thereupon the harms of the waters were brought to an end, the Nine Provinces were harmonized, and the four extremities became habitable. Yao then bestowed upon Yu a dark jade scepter, announcing his accomplishment. When Shun formally took the throne, he appointed Yu as Minister of Works to oversee the hundred regulators. Heaven bestowed the Great Plan with its Nine Divisions, whereby the constant ethical relations were properly arranged. Heaven granted Yu the Text of the Luo: a divine turtle bore writings arrayed upon its back, with numbers extending up to nine, and Yu accordingly ordered them to form the Nine Categories. Shun's son Shangjun was unworthy; Shun recommended Yu to Heaven, having him take his place on the throne. When Shun passed away, the people of the realm did not turn to Shangjun, but turned to Yu. Yu ascended the throne as the Son of Heaven, naming his state the Xia. In accordance with the virtue of Metal, he established his capital at Han, which is present-day Yangdi in Junzhou of Bianliang Circuit, in the region of Yu. Following the Youyu clan, he took the Yin month as the beginning of the year. Ten inches made a foot. In color he favored black; for sacrificial victims he used dark ones; and he took black as his royal emblem. He created music called the Great Xia; 'Xia' means 'great', signifying that he could magnify the virtue of Yao and Shun. He hung a bell, a drum, a stone chime, a handbell, and a rattle drum to receive scholars from the four quarters, saying: 'Let those who would teach us the Way strike the drum; let those who would instruct us in righteousness strike the bell; let those who would inform us of affairs shake the handbell; let those who would speak to us of anxieties strike the chime; and let those who have litigations shake the rattle drum.' Earlier, Shun had divided the realm into twelve provinces; Yu restored them to nine provinces. He collected fine bronze from throughout the realm and cast nine tripods to symbolize the Nine Provinces. In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor made carriages, Shaohao added oxen, and Xi Zhong added horses. Yu ordered Xi Zhong to serve as Master of Carriages, properly setting up banners, flags, streamers, and pennants to distinguish ranks of high and low. In ancient times there were sweet wines and fermented dairy drinks. In Yu's time, Yidi invented alcoholic wine. Yu drank it and found it sweet, but thereupon distanced himself from Yidi and renounced fine wine, saying: 'In later generations, there will certainly be those who lose their states through wine.' Yu entrusted the state's administration to Gaoyao and Yi. Yu married a maiden of the Tushan clan, who gave birth to his son Qi. Yu toured the south and convened the feudal lords at Mount Tu. Inheriting the flourishing age of Tang and Yu, ten thousand states came bearing jade and silk. He convened them again at Kuaiji; the lord of Fangfeng arrived late, and Yu executed him, establishing precedents and standards to pass down to his descendants. Yu had once recommended Yi to Heaven. In the seventh year Yu passed away, having reigned for nine years, at the age of one hundred. Yi yielded the throne and retired to Mount Ji, but the people of the realm did not turn to Yi, turning instead to Qi. Qi then ascended the throne as the Son of Heaven. As for his name Wenming, Cai Shen says: 'This is what the "Tributes of Yu" refers to when saying: "To the east it spread, to the west it reached, to the north and south it extended, and the renown of his teachings [was broadcast everywhere]."'