卷二·夏本纪第二
卷二·夏本纪第二
司马迁
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。
禹乃遂与益、后稷奉帝命，命诸侯百姓兴人徒以傅土，行山表木，定高山大川。禹伤先人父鲧功之不成受诛，乃劳身焦思，居外十三年，过家门不敢入。薄衣食，致孝于鬼神。卑宫室，致费于沟淢。陆行乘车，水行乘船，泥行乘橇，山行乘檋。左准绳，右规矩，载四时，以开九州，通九道，陂九泽，度九山。令益予众庶稻，可种卑湿。命后稷予众庶难得之食。食少，调有余相给，以均诸侯。禹乃行相地宜所有以贡，及山川之便利。
禹行自冀州始。冀州：既载壶口，治梁及岐。既脩太原，至于岳阳。覃怀致功，至于衡漳。其土白壤。赋上上错，田中中，常、卫既从，大陆既为。鸟夷皮服。夹右碣石，入于海。
济、河维沇州：九河既道，雷夏既泽，雍、沮会同，桑土既蚕，于是民得下丘居土。其土黑坟，草繇木条。田中下，赋贞，作十有三年乃同。其贡漆丝，其篚织文。浮于济、漯，通于河。
海岱维青州：堣夷既略，潍、淄其道。其土白坟，海滨广潟，厥田斥卤。田上下，赋中上。厥贡盐絺，海物维错，岱畎丝、枲、铅、松、怪石，莱夷为牧，其篚酓丝。浮于汶，通于济。
海岱及淮维徐州：淮、沂其治，蒙、羽其蓺。大野既都，东原底平。其土赤埴坟，草木渐包。其田上中，赋中中。贡维土五色，羽畎夏狄，峄阳孤桐，泗滨浮磬，淮夷蠙珠臮鱼，其篚玄纤缟。浮于淮、泗，通于河。淮海维扬州：彭蠡既都，阳鸟所居。三江既入，震泽致定。竹箭既布。其草惟夭，其木惟乔，其土涂泥。田下下，赋下上上杂。贡金三品，瑶、琨、竹箭，齿、革、羽、旄，岛夷卉服，其篚织贝，其包橘、柚锡贡。均江海，通淮、泗。
荆及衡阳维荆州：江、汉朝宗于海。九江甚中，沱、涔已道，云土、梦为治。其土涂泥。田下中，赋上下。贡羽、旄、齿、革，金三品，杶、榦、栝、柏，砺、砥、砮、丹，维箘簬、楛，三国致贡其名，包匦菁茅，其篚玄纁玑组，九江入赐大龟。浮于江、沱、涔、汉，逾于雒，至于南河。
荆河惟豫州：伊、雒、瀍、涧既入于河，荥播既都，道荷泽，被明都。其土壤，下土坟垆。田中上，赋杂上中。贡漆、丝、絺、纻，其篚纤絮，锡贡磬错。浮于雒，达于河。
华阳黑水惟梁州：汶、嶓既蓺，沱、涔既道，蔡、蒙旅平，和夷厎绩。其土青骊。田下上，赋下中三错。贡璆、铁、银、镂、砮、磬，熊、罴、狐、貍、织皮。西倾因桓是来，浮于潜，逾于沔，入于渭，乱于河。
黑水西河惟雍州：弱水既西，泾属渭汭。漆、沮既从，沣水所同。荆、岐已旅，终南、敦物至于鸟鼠。原隰厎绩，至于都野。三危既度，三苗大序。其土黄壤。田上上，赋中下。贡璆、琳、琅玕。浮于积石，至于龙门西河，会于渭汭。织皮昆仑、析支、渠搜，西戎即序。
道九山：汧及岐至于荆山，逾于河；壶口、雷首至于太岳；砥柱、析城至于王屋；太行、常山至于碣石，入于海；西倾、朱圉、鸟鼠至于太华；熊耳、外方、桐柏至于负尾；道嶓冢，至于荆山；内方至于大别；汶山之阳至衡山，过九江，至于敷浅原。
道九川：弱水至于合黎，余波入于流沙。道黑水，至于三危，入于南海。道河积石，至于龙门，南至华阴，东至砥柱，又东至于盟津，东过雒汭，至于大邳，北过降水，至于大陆，北播为九河，同为逆河，入于海。嶓冢道瀁，东流为汉，又东为苍浪之水，过三澨，入于大别，南入于江，东汇泽为彭蠡，东为北江，入于海。汶山道江，东别为沱，又东至于醴，过九江，至于东陵，东迤北会于汇，东为中江，入于海。道沇水，东为济，入于河，泆为荥，东出陶丘北，又东至于荷，又东北会于汶，又东北入于海。道淮自桐柏，东会于泗、沂，东入于海。道渭自鸟鼠同穴，东会于沣，又东北至于泾，东过漆、沮，入于河。道雒自熊耳，东北会于涧、瀍，又东会于伊，东北入于河。
于是九州攸同，四奥既居，九山栞旅，九川涤原，九泽既陂，四海会同。六府甚脩，众土交正，致慎财赋，咸则三壤成赋。中国赐土姓：“祗台德先，不距朕行。”
令天子之国以外五百里甸服：百里赋纳緫，二百里纳铚，三百里纳秸服，四百里粟，五百里米。甸服外五百里侯服：百里采，二百里任国，三百里诸侯。侯服外五百里绥服：三百里揆文教，二百里奋武卫。绥服外五百里要服：三百里夷，二百里蔡。要服外五百里荒服：三百里蛮，二百里流。
东渐于海，西被于流沙，朔、南暨：声教讫于四海。于是帝锡禹玄圭，以告成功于天下。天下于是太平治。
皋陶作士以理民。帝舜朝，禹、伯夷、皋陶相与语帝前。皋陶述其谋曰：“信其道德，谋明辅和。”禹曰：“然，如何？”皋陶曰：“于！慎其身脩，思长，敦序九族，众明高翼，近可远在已。”禹拜美言，曰：“然。”皋陶曰：“于！在知人，在安民。”禹曰：“吁！皆若是，惟帝其难之。知人则智，能官人；能安民则惠，黎民怀之。能知能惠，何忧乎驩兜，何迁乎有苗，何畏乎巧言善色佞人？”皋陶曰：“然，于！亦行有九德，亦言其有德。”乃言曰：“始事事，宽而栗，柔而立，愿而共，治而敬，扰而毅，直而温，简而廉，刚而实，强而义，章其有常，吉哉。日宣三德，蚤夜翊明有家。日严振敬六德，亮采有国。翕受普施，九德咸事，俊乂在官，百吏肃谨。毋教邪淫奇谋。非其人居其官，是谓乱天事。天讨有罪，五刑五用哉。吾言厎可行乎？”禹曰：“女言致可绩行。”皋陶曰：“余未有知，思赞道哉。”
帝舜谓禹曰：“女亦昌言。”禹拜曰：“于，予何言！予思日孳孳。”皋陶难禹曰：“何谓孳孳？”禹曰：“鸿水滔天，浩浩怀山襄陵，下民皆服于水。予陆行乘车，水行乘舟，泥行乘橇，山行乘檋，行山栞木。与益予众庶稻鲜食。以决九川致四海，浚畎浍致之川。与稷予众庶难得之食。食少，调有余补不足，徙居。众民乃定，万国为治。”皋陶曰：“然，此而美也。”
禹曰：“于，帝！慎乃在位，安尔止。辅德，天下大应。清意以昭待上帝命，天其重命用休。”帝曰：“吁，臣哉，臣哉！臣作朕股肱耳目。予欲左右有民，女辅之。余欲观古人之象。日月星辰，作文绣服色，女明之。予欲闻六律五声八音，来始滑，以出入五言，女听。予即辟，女匡拂予。女无面谀。退而谤予。敬四辅臣。诸众谗嬖臣，君德诚施皆清矣。”禹曰：“然。帝即不时，布同善恶则毋功。”
帝曰：“毋若丹朱傲，维慢游是好，毋水行舟，朋淫于家，用绝其世。予不能顺是。”禹曰：“予娶涂山，癸甲，生启予不子，以故能成水土功。辅成五服，至于五千里，州十二师，外薄四海，咸建五长，各道有功。苗顽不即功，帝其念哉。”帝曰：“道吾德，乃女功序之也。”
皋陶于是敬禹之德，令民皆则禹。不如言，刑从之。舜德大明。
于是夔行乐，祖考至，群后相让，鸟兽翔舞，箫韶九成，凤皇来仪，百兽率舞，百官信谐。帝用此作歌曰：“陟天之命，维时维几。”乃歌曰：“股肱喜哉，元首起哉，百工熙哉！”皋陶拜手稽首扬言曰：“念哉，率为兴事，慎乃宪，敬哉！”乃更为歌曰：“元首明哉，股肱良哉，庶事康哉！”又歌曰：“元首丛脞哉，股肱惰哉，万事堕哉！”帝拜曰：“然，往钦哉！”于是天下皆宗禹之明度数声乐，为山川神主。
帝舜荐禹于天，为嗣。十七年而帝舜崩。三年丧毕，禹辞辟舜之子商均于阳城。天下诸侯皆去商均而朝禹。禹于是遂即天子位，南面朝天下，国号曰夏后，姓姒氏。
帝禹立而举皋陶荐之，且授政焉，而皋陶卒。封皋陶之后于英、六，或在许。而后举益，任之政。
十年，帝禹东巡狩，至于会稽而崩。以天下授益。三年之丧毕，益让帝禹之子启，而辟居箕山之阳。禹子启贤，天下属意焉。及禹崩，虽授益，益之佐禹日浅，天下未洽。故诸侯皆去益而朝启，曰“吾君帝禹之子也”。于是启遂即天子之位，是为夏后帝启。
夏后帝启，禹之子，其母涂山氏之女也。
有扈氏不服，启伐之，大战于甘。将战，作甘誓，乃召六卿申之。启曰：“嗟！六事之人，予誓告女：有扈氏威侮五行，怠弃三正，天用剿绝其命。今予维共行天之罚。左不攻于左，右不攻于右，女不共命。御非其马之政，女不共命。用命，赏于祖；不用命，僇于社，予则帑僇女。”遂灭有扈氏。天下咸朝。
夏后帝启崩，子帝太康立。帝太康失国，昆弟五人，须于洛汭，作五子之歌。
太康崩，弟中康立，是为帝中康。帝中康时，羲、和湎淫，废时乱日。胤往征之，作胤征。
中康崩，子帝相立。帝相崩，子帝少康立。帝少康崩，子帝予立。帝予崩，子帝槐立。帝槐崩，子帝芒立。帝芒崩，子帝泄立。帝泄崩，子帝不降立。帝不降崩，弟帝扃立。帝扃崩，子帝廑立。帝廑崩，立帝不降之子孔甲，是为帝孔甲。帝孔甲立，好方鬼神，事淫乱。夏后氏德衰，诸侯畔之。天降龙二，有雌雄，孔甲不能食，未得豢龙氏。陶唐既衰，其后有刘累，学扰龙于豢龙氏，以事孔甲。孔甲赐之姓曰御龙氏，受豕韦之后。龙一雌死，以食夏后。夏后使求，惧而迁去。
孔甲崩，子帝皋立。帝皋崩，子帝发立。帝发崩，子帝履癸立，是为桀。帝桀之时，自孔甲以来而诸侯多畔夏，桀不务德而武伤百姓，百姓弗堪。乃召汤而囚之夏台，已而释之。汤修德，诸侯皆归汤，汤遂率兵以伐夏桀。桀走鸣条，遂放而死。桀谓人曰：“吾悔不遂杀汤于夏台，使至此。”汤乃践天子位，代夏朝天下。汤封夏之后，至周封于杞也。
太史公曰：禹为姒姓，其后分封，用国为姓，故有夏后氏、有扈氏、有男氏、斟寻氏、彤城氏、襃氏、费氏、杞氏、缯氏、辛氏、冥氏、斟戈氏。孔子正夏时，学者多传夏小正云。自虞、夏时，贡赋备矣。或言禹会诸侯江南，计功而崩，因葬焉，命曰会稽。会稽者，会计也。
Fascicle Two · Basic Annals of the Xia, Second
司马迁
Yu of the Xia was named Wenming. Yu's father was called Gun; Gun's father was the Emperor Zhuanxu; Zhuanxu's father was Changyi; Changyi's father was the Yellow Emperor. Yu was thus a great-great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor and a grandson of the Emperor Zhuanxu. Yu's great-grandfather Changyi and his father Gun both failed to hold the imperial position and were subjects of others. In the time of the Emperor Yao the great flood reached to heaven; vast and wide, it encircled the hills and overtopped the mounds, and the people below were troubled by it. Yao sought one able to control the waters, and the assembled ministers and the Four Peaks all said Gun would do. Yao said, "Gun as a man disobeys commands and injures his own kind; he will not do." The Four Peaks said, "Weighing them all, there is none worthier than Gun; we beg Your Majesty to try him." Thereupon Yao listened to the Four Peaks and employed Gun to control the waters. In nine years the waters did not subside and his work was not accomplished. Thereupon the Emperor Yao sought another man and obtained Shun. Shun was raised up and employed, acted in the government of the Son of Heaven in his stead, and made the tour of inspection. Going about, he saw that Gun's work on the waters was to no purpose, and so put Gun to death on Mount Yu. The whole world held Shun's punishment to be right. Thereupon Shun raised up Gun's son Yu and made him carry on Gun's undertaking.
When Yao died, the Emperor Shun asked the Four Peaks, "Is there any who can make Yao's work glorious, whom I might set in office?" All said, "Let Bo Yu be Minister of Works; he can make Yao's achievements glorious." Shun said, "Ah, so be it!" and charged Yu: "You shall level the waters and the land; only be diligent in it." Yu bowed with his head to the ground and yielded to Xie, Houji and Gaoyao. Shun said, "Go and attend to your task."
Yu as a man was quick and capable and able to toil; his virtue did not go astray, his humanity could be drawn close to, his words could be trusted. His voice was the pitch-pipe, his person the measure, and from him the standards issued; unwearying and dignified, he was the net-cord and the mesh of things.
Yu then, with Yi and Houji, received the Emperor's command, and ordered the lords and the hundred clans to raise up labourers to work the land. He went over the hills and marked the trees, and fixed the high mountains and the great rivers. Yu grieved that his forebear, his father Gun, had failed in his work and suffered death; so he wearied his body and burned his thoughts, and lived abroad thirteen years, passing his own gate without daring to enter. He was sparing in clothing and food, and gave the utmost in filial offerings to the ghosts and spirits; he kept his palace mean and spent his means on ditches and channels. On land he went by carriage, on water by boat, in mud by sledge, in the hills by spiked shoes. On his left were the water-level and the marking-line, on his right the compasses and the square; he carried the four seasons with him, and so opened the nine provinces, made passage through the nine roads, banked the nine marshes and took the measure of the nine mountains. He ordered Yi to give the common people rice, which could be planted in low wet ground. He charged Houji to give the common people food that was hard to come by. Where food was scarce, he had the surplus from elsewhere made over to supply it, so as to equalise the lords. Then Yu went about and examined what each land was fitted to produce as tribute, and the conveniences of the hills and rivers.
Yu's progress began from Jizhou. Jizhou: work was set in hand at Hukou, and Liang and Qi were put in order. Taiyuan having been repaired, he reached the south of the Peak. He brought his work to completion at Tanhuai, as far as the Heng branch of the Zhang. Its soil is white and friable. Its tax is of the highest grade with some mixture; its fields are middling of the middle. The Chang and the Wei being brought into their courses, Dalu was made fit for use. The Bird Yi bring garments of hide. Keeping Jieshi on the right, they enter the sea.
Between the Ji and the He is Yanzhou: the nine branches of the He were brought into their courses, Leixia was made a marsh, the Yong and the Ju met and came together, the mulberry lands were given to silkworms, and thereupon the people could come down from the mounds and dwell on level ground. Its soil is black and rich, its grass luxuriant and its trees tall. Its fields are lower of the middle, its tax the correct standard, reached only after thirteen years of work. Its tribute is lacquer and silk; its baskets hold patterned woven stuffs. They float on the Ji and the Ta and so reach the He.
Between the sea and Mount Dai is Qingzhou: Yuyi having been marked out, the Wei and the Zi were brought into their courses. Its soil is white and rich; along the sea shore are broad salt flats, and its fields there are briny. Its fields are lower of the highest grade, its tax higher of the middle. Its tribute is salt and fine cloth, with an assortment of sea products, and from the valleys of Dai silk, hemp, lead, pine and strange stones; the Lai Yi practise herding, and their baskets hold silk from mountain mulberry. They float on the Wen and so reach the Ji.
Between the sea and Mount Dai as far as the Huai is Xuzhou: the Huai and the Yi were put in order, and Meng and Yu were made fit for planting. Daye was made a reservoir, and the Eastern Plain was brought to level. Its soil is red, clayey and rich; its grasses and trees grow thick and clustered. Its fields are middling of the highest grade, its tax middling of the middle. Its tribute is earth of five colours, pheasants from the valleys of Yu, solitary paulownia from the south of Mount Yi, floating chime-stones from the bank of the Si, and from the Huai Yi pearls and fish; its baskets hold dark fine silk and white silk. They float on the Huai and the Si and so reach the He. Between the Huai and the sea is Yangzhou: Pengli was made a reservoir, and it is where the sun-birds dwell. The three Jiang having entered the sea, Zhen Marsh was brought to rest. The slender bamboo spread everywhere. Its grasses are tender, its trees tall, its soil miry. Its fields are lowest of the low, its tax higher of the low with some mixture. Its tribute is metal of three kinds, yao and kun stones, slender bamboo, ivory, hides, feathers and yak-tails; the island Yi wear garments of plant fibre, their baskets hold woven shell-patterned cloth, and their bundles of oranges and pomelos are sent as tribute when ordered. They keep to the Jiang and the sea and so reach the Huai and the Si.
From Mount Jing to the south of Mount Heng is Jingzhou: the Jiang and the Han pay court to the sea as to their sovereign. The nine branches of the Jiang were well set in their courses, the Tuo and the Qian brought into their channels, and Yuntu and Meng were put in order. Its soil is miry. Its fields are middling of the low, its tax lower of the highest grade. Its tribute is feathers, yak-tails, ivory and hides, metal of three kinds, chun, gan, kuo and cypress woods, whetstones coarse and fine, arrow-stones and cinnabar, and jun and lu bamboos and hu wood; three states send as tribute what they are noted for; bundles and cases of the bristling rushes; its baskets hold dark and light red silks and strings of pearls; and from the nine branches of the Jiang the great tortoises are brought in when granted. They float on the Jiang, the Tuo, the Qian and the Han, cross over to the Luo, and reach the Southern He.
Between Mount Jing and the He is Yuzhou: the Yi, the Luo, the Chan and the Jian having entered the He, Xingbo was made a reservoir; the marsh of He was led off, and Mingdu was covered with its waters. Its soil is friable; the lower ground is rich and clayey. Its fields are higher of the middle, its tax mixed, higher of the middle. Its tribute is lacquer, silk, fine cloth and ramie; its baskets hold fine floss, and when ordered they send as tribute stones for polishing chimes. They float on the Luo and reach the He.
From the south of Mount Hua to the Black Water is Liangzhou: Wen and Bo were made fit for planting, the Tuo and the Qian were brought into their courses, Cai and Meng were sacrificed to and made level, and among the He Yi work was brought to fruition. Its soil is greenish black. Its fields are higher of the low, its tax middling of the low with three grades of mixture. Its tribute is qiu jade, iron, silver, steel for engraving, arrow-stones and chime-stones, and the hides of bears, brown bears, foxes and wild cats, woven with hair. From Xiqing they come by way of the Huan; they float on the Qian, cross over to the Mian, enter the Wei, and cross the He.
From the Black Water to the Western He is Yongzhou: the Weak Water was turned west, and the Jing joined the bend of the Wei. The Qi and the Ju having been brought into their courses, the Feng waters came together with them. Jing and Qi having been sacrificed to, Zhongnan and Dunwu reach as far as Niaoshu. On the plains and low grounds work was brought to fruition, as far as Duye. Sanwei having been made fit to dwell in, the Three Miao were greatly ordered. Its soil is yellow and friable. Its fields are highest of the high, its tax lower of the middle. Its tribute is qiu and lin jades and langgan stones. They float from Jishi, reach Longmen on the Western He, and meet at the bend of the Wei. Woven hair cloth comes from Kunlun, Xizhi and Qusou, and the Western Rong were thereby brought into order.
He led the nine mountains: from Qian and Qi to Mount Jing, crossing the He; from Hukou and Leishou to the Great Peak; from Dizhu and Xicheng to Wangwu; from Taihang and Mount Chang to Jieshi, entering the sea; from Xiqing, Zhuyu and Niaoshu to Taihua; from Xionger, Waifang and Tongbo to Fuwei; he led Bozhong as far as Mount Jing; from Neifang to Dabie; from the south of Mount Wen to Mount Heng, past the nine branches of the Jiang, as far as Fuqianyuan.
He led the nine rivers: the Weak Water as far as Heli, its surplus waters entering the Flowing Sands. He led the Black Water as far as Sanwei, entering the Southern Sea. He led the He from Jishi as far as Longmen, south to Huayin, east to Dizhu, and further east to Mengjin; east past the bend of the Luo, as far as Dapi; north past the Jiang waters, as far as Dalu; north it scatters into nine branches, joins again as the Contrary River, and enters the sea. From Bozhong he led the Yang, which flows east as the Han, and further east is the water of Canglang; it passes the three Shi, enters Dabie, flows south into the Jiang, and eastward its gathered waters make Pengli; eastward it is the Northern Jiang, and enters the sea. From Mount Wen he led the Jiang, which eastward branches off as the Tuo, and further east reaches Li, passes the nine branches of the Jiang, reaches Dongling, flows east and bends north to join the confluence, and eastward is the Middle Jiang, entering the sea. He led the Yan waters, which eastward are the Ji and enter the He; overflowing, they make Xing, come out east of Taoqiu, flow further east to He, further north-east join the Wen, and further north-east enter the sea. He led the Huai from Tongbo, east to join the Si and the Yi, and east into the sea. He led the Wei from Niaoshutongxue, east to join the Feng, further north-east to the Jing, east past the Qi and the Ju, and into the He. He led the Luo from Xionger, north-east to join the Jian and the Chan, further east to join the Yi, and north-east into the He.
Thereupon the nine provinces were made alike: the four quarters were made fit to dwell in, the nine mountains were cleared of trees and sacrificed to, the nine rivers were cleansed at their sources, the nine marshes were embanked, and within the four seas all came together. The six storehouses were well ordered, the soils everywhere were rightly graded, care was taken in fixing goods and taxes, and in all cases the three grades of soil were taken as the standard in fixing tax. In the central states lands and surnames were bestowed, with the words: "Let reverence for my virtue come first, and let none oppose my course."
He ordered that beyond the domain of the Son of Heaven, for five hundred li, should be the Royal Domain: for the first hundred li they render the whole stalk; for the second hundred, the cut ears; for the third hundred, the straw with service; for the fourth hundred, unhusked grain; for the fifth hundred, husked rice. Beyond the Royal Domain, for five hundred li, the Lords' Domain: the first hundred li for fiefs of officers, the second hundred for lands held in service, the third hundred for the territorial lords. Beyond the Lords' Domain, for five hundred li, the Pacified Domain: for three hundred li they consider civil instruction, for two hundred they exert martial defence. Beyond the Pacified Domain, for five hundred li, the Bound Domain: three hundred li of the Yi, two hundred of banishment. Beyond the Bound Domain, for five hundred li, the Wild Domain: three hundred li of the Man, two hundred of exile.
Eastward it reached to the sea, westward it covered the Flowing Sands, and north and south alike: his fame and teaching reached the four seas. Thereupon the Emperor bestowed on Yu a dark jade sceptre, to announce the completion of his work to the world. And the world was thereupon at great peace and well governed.
Gaoyao served as Judge and so ordered the people. When the Emperor Shun held court, Yu, Boyi and Gaoyao talked together before him. Gaoyao set forth his counsel, saying: "Let him be sincere in his way and his virtue, and his counsels will be enlightened and his assistants in accord." Yu said, "So; but how?" Gaoyao said, "Oh! Let him be careful in cultivating his person and think for the long term; let him deal generously and in due order with the nine branches of his kin, and the many enlightened will lend high support; and what is near may thus reach to what is far." Yu bowed at these fine words and said, "So it is." Gaoyao said, "Oh! It lies in knowing men and in giving the people peace." Yu said, "Ah! To do all this even the Emperor would find hard. To know men is wisdom, and one can then appoint men to office; to be able to give the people peace is kindness, and the black-haired people will cherish him. If one can know men and can be kind, what need to worry about Huandou, what need to remove the Miao, what need to fear the clever of tongue and the fair of face and the flatterer?" Gaoyao said, "So. Oh! There are also nine virtues in conduct, and one may also speak of what virtues a man has." And he said: "When he begins to take affairs in hand: generous yet firm, yielding yet upright, earnest yet respectful, orderly yet reverent, docile yet resolute, straight yet mild, simple yet scrupulous, strong yet substantial, forceful yet righteous — when these are made manifest and constant in him, it is auspicious. He who displays three of these virtues daily, from dawn to night with diligence and clarity, will hold a family. He who is strict and rouses himself to reverence in six of these virtues will make his service bright and hold a state. To gather them all in and spread them abroad, so that the nine virtues are all put in practice, so that the outstanding and able are in office and the hundred functionaries are solemn and careful — let him not teach depravity, licence or strange devices. When one who is not the right man occupies an office, this is called throwing heaven's work into disorder. Heaven punishes the guilty: let the five punishments have their five applications. Are my words such as may be put into practice?" Yu said, "Your words may indeed be carried out to good effect." Gaoyao said, "I have no knowledge of my own; I only think to assist the Way."
The Emperor Shun said to Yu, "You too should speak out." Yu bowed and said, "Oh, what am I to say? I think only to labour day by day." Gaoyao pressed Yu: "What do you mean by labouring?" Yu said: "The great flood reached to heaven; vast and wide, it encircled the hills and overtopped the mounds, and the people below were all overwhelmed by the waters. On land I went by carriage, on water by boat, in mud by sledge, in the hills by spiked shoes; I went over the hills and marked the trees. With Yi I gave the common people rice and fresh food. I opened the nine rivers and brought them to the four seas; I dredged the field-drains and the ditches and brought them to the rivers. With Ji I gave the common people food that was hard to come by. Where food was scarce, I had the surplus moved to make up the want, and had people move their dwellings. The people were then settled, and the myriad states were well governed." Gaoyao said, "So; this is your excellence."
Yu said: "Oh, Emperor! Be careful in your position, and be at rest in what you hold to. Support the virtuous, and the world will greatly respond. With pure intent await in clear brightness the Lord on High's command, and heaven will renew its mandate with blessing." The Emperor said: "Ah, ministers, ministers! My ministers are my legs and arms, my ears and eyes. I wish to help and guide the people; do you support me. I wish to look upon the emblems of the men of old: sun, moon, stars and constellations, made into patterned embroidery for the colours of robes; do you make them clear. I wish to hear the six pitch-pipes, the five notes and the eight kinds of instruments, and their beginnings and modulations, so as to send out and take in the five sounds; do you attend to this. When I go astray, do you correct and set me right. Do not flatter me to my face and then slander me behind my back. Be reverent, you four assisting ministers. As for the crowd of slanderous and favoured servants, when a ruler's virtue is sincerely put into practice they are all swept clean away." Yu said, "So it is. If the Emperor is not thus, and puts good and bad on the same footing, there will be no achievement."
The Emperor said: "Be not like the arrogant Danzhu, who cared only for idle roaming; where there was no water he would go by boat; he was licentious with his crowd at home, and so he cut off his own line. I cannot go along with this." Yu said: "I took a wife at Tushan; on the days gui and jia; Qi was born, and I did not treat him as a son — and for this reason I was able to accomplish the work on the waters and the land. I helped to complete the five domains, out to five thousand li, with twelve divisions in the provinces, and outward to the four seas; everywhere I set up chiefs of five, each of whom led his people to achievement. Only the Miao are obstinate and come to no achievement; let the Emperor take thought of it." The Emperor said, "That my virtue is carried abroad is the ordering of your work."
Gaoyao thereupon honoured Yu's virtue and ordered the people all to take Yu as their model. Those who did not follow his word, punishment followed them. Shun's virtue was greatly made manifest.
Thereupon Kui performed the music, and the ancestors came; the assembled princes yielded to one another; birds and beasts wheeled and danced; when the Xiao Shao had been performed nine times, the phoenixes came in their dignity, the hundred beasts danced together, and the hundred officers were truly in accord. The Emperor thereupon made a song, saying: "In ascending to heaven's mandate, all lies in the season and in the springs of things." And he sang: "The legs and arms rejoice, the head rises up, the hundred works flourish!" Gaoyao bowed with his hands joined and his head to the ground, and said aloud: "Take thought! It is you who lead in raising up affairs; be careful of your statutes; be reverent!" And he changed the song, saying: "The head is enlightened, the legs and arms are good, the many affairs are at ease!" And he sang again: "The head is fussy over trifles, the legs and arms are idle, the myriad affairs fall to ruin!" The Emperor bowed and said, "So it is. Go and be reverent!" Thereupon the whole world honoured Yu for making clear the measures and numbers and the music, and he became lord of the spirits of the hills and rivers.
The Emperor Shun recommended Yu to heaven as his successor. Seventeen years later the Emperor Shun died. When the three years' mourning was over, Yu declined and withdrew before Shun's son Shangjun to Yangcheng. The lords of the world all left Shangjun and came to court to Yu. Yu thereupon ascended the position of Son of Heaven, faced south and received the court of the world, and named his state Xiahou, his surname being Si.
When the Emperor Yu was set up, he raised up Gaoyao and recommended him, and was about to hand over the government to him, when Gaoyao died. He enfeoffed Gaoyao's descendants at Ying and Liu, and some at Xu. Afterwards he raised up Yi and entrusted him with the government.
Ten years later the Emperor Yu made a tour of inspection to the east, and died at Kuaiji. He gave the world to Yi. When the three years' mourning was over, Yi yielded to the Emperor Yu's son Qi and withdrew to dwell south of Mount Ji. Yu's son Qi was worthy, and the world's hopes were set on him. When Yu died, although he had given the world to Yi, Yi's service to Yu had been of short standing and the world was not yet won over to him. So the lords all left Yi and came to court to Qi, saying, "This is our lord, the son of the Emperor Yu." Thereupon Qi ascended the position of Son of Heaven; this is Qi, the Emperor of Xiahou.
Qi, the Emperor of Xiahou, was Yu's son; his mother was a woman of the house of Tushan.
The house of Youhu would not submit, and Qi attacked them, and there was a great battle at Gan. When they were about to fight he composed the Oath at Gan, and summoned the six ministers to charge them with it. Qi said: "Ah, you men of the six commands, I declare and announce to you: the house of Youhu insults and slights the five elements and neglects and casts aside the three standards; heaven therefore cuts off their mandate. Now I am but carrying out heaven's punishment. If the left do not attend to the left, you do not obey the command; if the right do not attend to the right, you do not obey the command; if the drivers do not manage their horses properly, you do not obey the command. Those who obey the command will be rewarded before the ancestors; those who do not will be put to death before the altar of the soil, and I will make slaves of you and your children." So he destroyed the house of Youhu, and the whole world came to court.
Qi, the Emperor of Xiahou, died, and his son the Emperor Taikang was set up. The Emperor Taikang lost his state; his five brothers waited at the bend of the Luo and made the Songs of the Five Sons.
Taikang died, and his younger brother Zhongkang was set up; this is the Emperor Zhongkang. In the time of the Emperor Zhongkang, Xi and He were sunk in drink and licence and neglected the seasons and threw the days into confusion. Yin went to chastise them and made the Chastisement of Yin.
Zhongkang died and his son the Emperor Xiang was set up. The Emperor Xiang died and his son the Emperor Shaokang was set up. The Emperor Shaokang died and his son the Emperor Yu was set up. The Emperor Yu died and his son the Emperor Huai was set up. The Emperor Huai died and his son the Emperor Mang was set up. The Emperor Mang died and his son the Emperor Xie was set up. The Emperor Xie died and his son the Emperor Bujiang was set up. The Emperor Bujiang died and his younger brother the Emperor Jiong was set up. The Emperor Jiong died and his son the Emperor Jin was set up. The Emperor Jin died, and Kongjia, the son of the Emperor Bujiang, was set up; this is the Emperor Kongjia. When the Emperor Kongjia was set up, he was fond of the arts of ghosts and spirits and given to licence and disorder. The virtue of the house of Xiahou declined, and the lords rebelled against it. Heaven sent down two dragons, a female and a male, and Kongjia could not feed them, not having found any of the Dragon-Rearing clan. The house of Taotang having declined, among its descendants was Liu Lei, who had learned to tame dragons from the Dragon-Rearing clan, and he served Kongjia with this. Kongjia bestowed on him the clan name Dragon-Driver, and he received the inheritance of the descendants of Shiwei. One of the dragons, the female, died, and he served it as food to the lord of Xia. The lord of Xia sent for more of it, and he took fright and moved away.
Kongjia died and his son the Emperor Gao was set up. The Emperor Gao died and his son the Emperor Fa was set up. The Emperor Fa died and his son the Emperor Lügui was set up; this is Jie. In the time of the Emperor Jie, from Kongjia onward many of the lords had rebelled against the Xia; Jie did not attend to virtue but injured the hundred clans by force of arms, and they could not bear it. He summoned Tang and imprisoned him in the Xia Tower, and afterwards released him. Tang cultivated virtue, and the lords all turned to Tang; and Tang then led troops to attack Jie of the Xia. Jie fled to Mingtiao, and was then banished and died. Jie said to someone, "I regret that I did not go on and kill Tang in the Xia Tower, and so have come to this." Tang then ascended the position of Son of Heaven, and in place of the Xia received the court of the world. Tang enfeoffed the descendants of the Xia, and under the Zhou they were enfeoffed at Qi.
The Lord Grand Astrologer says: Yu was of the surname Si, and his descendants were enfeoffed separately and took their states as surnames; hence there are the clans of Xiahou, Youhu, Younan, Zhenxun, Tongcheng, Bao, Fei, Qi, Zeng, Xin, Ming and Zhenge. Confucius corrected the Xia seasons, and scholars mostly transmit the Lesser Calendar of Xia. From the times of Yu and Xia, tribute and taxes were complete. Some say that Yu assembled the lords south of the Jiang, and that in reckoning their achievements he died and was buried there, and the place was named Kuaiji. Kuaiji means the reckoning of accounts.