10. Yu the Great – His Character and Flood Control Strategy
When Emperor Shun appointed Yu to take charge of flood control, it was like placing a mountain of responsibility on his shoulders. Yu understood that this was not only the emperor’s trust but also the hope of all the people. It was about saving lives, restoring the land, and also carrying on the unfinished duty—and reputation—of his late father, Gun.
Compared to nine years earlier, when his father had been appointed, the situation was even more serious. The floods still raged, the people were exhausted after years of disaster, and Gun’s failure stood as a painful warning: the wrong method would only bring more suffering.
Yu’s Character
Historical records describe Yu as almost the perfect leader. He was quick and diligent, able to endure hardship, and had unshakable perseverance. He was moral, kind, trustworthy in speech, and steady in conduct. His very behavior set an example for others. Respectful and disciplined, he thought and acted with care. Truly, he was a leader of both talent and virtue.
These qualities shone brightest when he took on the mission of flood control.
Learning from Failure
Yu’s first step was to reflect deeply on why his father had failed. Gun’s strategy had been to block the waters with high dikes and dams. But the more the water was blocked, the greater the pressure behind it, until the dams burst with devastating force. Yu realized this was against the nature of water. You cannot fight water by trapping it; you must guide it.
So Yu introduced a brand-new principle: diversion. Instead of blocking the floods, he would channel them safely into rivers, lakes, and eventually the sea. His plan had three key parts:
- Survey and map the land – Yu decided to travel across the land himself, studying the flow of rivers, the lay of the mountains, and the heights and depths of the terrain, so he could design the best flood paths.
- Systematic water management – He would clear the main rivers, dredge tributaries, and connect lakes and marshes as storage areas. At the same time, he would build roads for transport and communication.
- Restore life and agriculture – The ultimate goal of flood control was to let people return to farming and rebuild their lives. So Yu planned not only the waterworks but also ways to restore agriculture and provide food.
Building a Team
Yu knew this massive project could not be done by one man alone. He wisely formed a strong team of trusted aides:
- Bo Yi – An expert in mountains, rivers, animals, and plants. He helped survey the terrain, managed natural resources, and taught people how to grow rice in the right areas.
- Hou Ji – Known as the ancestor of agriculture, he was skilled at farming. He oversaw food supply, making sure people did not starve while working on the water projects.
Together, with Yu as the planner, Bo Yi providing ecological knowledge, and Hou Ji ensuring food security, they created a balanced and efficient leadership group. Under Emperor Shun’s command, they mobilized the nobles, officials, and common people. The great campaign to tame the floods had begun.
Leading by Example
Yu devoted himself body and soul. The phrase “exhausting his mind and body” perfectly describes his thirteen years of work.
- Hard journeys – He traveled everywhere, using whatever means he could: carts on land, boats on rivers, sleds for marshes, and spiked wooden shoes for climbing mountains. His footprints covered all of the Nine Provinces, and he often ate and slept in the open.
- Accurate surveying – He carried four essential tools: a level and plumb line for straightness, and a compass and square for measuring. Wherever he went, he carefully measured and planned to ensure the works were sound.
- Selfless devotion – Most famously, Yu “passed his home three times but never went inside.” In thirteen years, he passed by his own house three times: once when his wife was giving birth, once when his child called to him from the doorway, and once when his son was already a young boy tugging at him to come home. Each time, Yu held back his tears, waved to them, and kept going, saying: “How can I return home before the floods are tamed and the people are safe?”
- Simplicity and humility – Yu lived simply, eating plain food and living in modest huts, pouring all resources into the flood works. But when it came to rituals honoring the gods and ancestors, he was generous and respectful, showing deep reverence for tradition and nature.
Results of His Work
Yu’s method of diversion proved far more effective than his father’s “blocking.”
He began in the hardest-hit region of Ji Province. He marked the mountains, mapped the rivers, and directed the people to cut through narrow passes like Longmen Gorge and Yi Que, clearing paths for the Yellow River to flow. He dredged its tributaries such as the Fen and Qin rivers. In low, swampy areas, he both opened outlets downstream and built levees to manage water storage.
Everywhere he worked, Yu immediately restored life. Bo Yi taught rice farming in wet areas, Hou Ji distributed seeds and food. Yu also set fair taxes and tribute based on the fertility of each region’s land, and encouraged local specialties such as salt from Qingzhou, copper from Yangzhou, and feathers and hides from Jingzhou, creating the beginnings of an organized national economy.
His process was methodical: clear trees along mountain slopes, dig channels for rivers, deepen riverbeds, build levees for reservoirs, reclaim farmland, and resettle people. Step by step, the floods were tamed.
Over the years, the roaring waters grew calm, flowing obediently toward the sea. Hills and plains reemerged from the waters. Marshes turned into fertile farmland. People left their makeshift shelters on the mountains and returned to rebuild homes on the plains. Villages revived, fields blossomed, and smoke rose again from cooking fires.
After thirteen long years, Yu had transformed both the land and the hearts of the people. His skin was darkened by the sun, his hands and feet were covered in calluses, his body worn thin, but his eyes were steady and wise. He had not only conquered the floods with wisdom and labor but also inspired the trust and unity of the entire nation.
By the time the main waters were under control and peace restored, a new, orderly world had emerged. Yu’s next great task would be to map this new land and divide it into the famous Nine Provinces—an even greater achievement yet to come.