Myths about Xia Dynasty

In the age of the Great Flood, the hero Yu the Great labored to tame the waters, eventually marrying Nü Jiao of Mount Tu. After a misunderstanding led his pregnant wife to transform into a stone statue in terror, Yu demanded his son, causing the rock to split open and the future King Qi to be born.

The myth of the Lady of Tushan describes the tragic end of the wife of Yu the Great, who transformed into stone after witnessing her husband in his divine bear form. While Yu was working to control the Great Flood by carving through mountains, an accidental signal brought his wife to his side too early, leading to a shock that petrified her. From this stone, their son Qi, the future founder...

After controlling the Great Flood, Yu the Great cast nine massive bronze tripod cauldrons to represent the nine provinces of ancient China. These vessels became sacred symbols of the Mandate of Heaven and the legitimacy of the imperial throne. They served as a physical manifestation of the unity and stability of the land under a single ruler.

The legend of Yu the Great depicts a heroic leader who spent thirteen years taming the catastrophic Great Flood of China. This specific story highlights his extreme dedication, as he passed his own home three times during his labors, hearing his family inside but refusing to enter until the waters were controlled.

Following Gun's failure and execution for his inability to stop the Great Flood, his body remained miraculously preserved on Feather Mountain for three years. When his belly was finally cut open with a magical sword, his son Yu emerged as a hero destined to succeed where his father failed. Yu's birth marked the beginning of a new era of engineering and the eventual founding of the Xia Dynasty.