Chapter 2: 夏本紀(Annals of Xia)

禹(Yǔ)

Yu, count of Xià(夏), had as his personal name Wénmìng(文命). Yu’s father was called Gun, Gun’s father was Emperor Zuanxu, Zuanxu’s father was called Changyi, Changyi’s father was the Yellow Emperor. Yu was therefore the great-great-grandson of the Yellow Emperor, and grandson of the Emperor Zuanxu. Neither Yu’s great-grandfather, Changyi, nor his father, Gun, had the imperial dignity, they were subjects of the sovereign.

It was in the time of Emperor Yao, the enormous waters rose to the sky, the immense sheet surrounded the mountains and submerged the hills, because of this the people of the plain were afflicted. Yao asked for someone who could quell the waters. His officers and the four mountains all said:

• Gun is able so.

Yao said:

• Gun is a man who rejects my orders and is disastrous to his colleagues, it is impossible.

The four mountains said:

• Among the others, none is wiser than Gun. We want the emperor to try him out.

So Yao listened to the advice of the four mountains and used Gun to suppress the waters. At the end of the nine years, the waters had not stopped and Gun had no success.

Then the Emperor Yao looked for another man and found Shun. Shun was elevated to office, he exercised by proxy the government of Son of Heaven, he inspected the lands, on his way he recognized that the works which Gun had done to repress the waters were not worthy of praise, and therefore exiled Gun to the mountain Yǔ(羽/ɢʷas) to die there. The whole empire approved of the sentence. Then Shun promoted Yu, son of Gun, and charged him with continuing Gun’s task. Yao died. The emperor Shun questioned the four mountains, saying:

• Is there anyone who is capable of carrying out Yao’s undertakings? I will put him in charge.

All said:

• Yu is a steward of public works, he can carry out the work of Yao.

Shun said:

• Ah, that is good.

So he gave this command to Yu:

• You shall regulate the waters and the lands, and think only of doing your most

Yu bowed, wanting to retire before Qí, Houji and Gaoyao. Shun said to him

• Go attend your duty.

Yu was a man that was active, helpful, capable and diligent, his virtue did not avoid pain, his kindness made him worth of affection, his word was worthy of faith. His voice was the standard of sound, his body the standard of length, measures of weight were derived from him. Very tireless and very majestic, he was concerned with the whole and with the details.

Then Yu, with Yi and Houji, fulfilled the emperors mandate; he gave orders to the lords and the hundred families, he set up multitudes of men to whom he entrusted the lands, he roamed the mountains and made marks on the trees. He determined the high mountains and the great rivers.

Yu was distressed that his father Gun had died before him because he had not succeeded in his task. So he burdened his body with fatigue, his mind consumed with worries. He remained away from home thirteen years, whenever he passed his door he dared not enter it. He restricted his clothing and food, and showed extreme piety to the gods. He had only a humble dwelling, but spent the greatest expense on ditches and canals. To go on dry land he used a chariot, to go on water he used a boat, to go on mud he used a kind of van, to go on mountains he used crampons. On the left there were regular boundaries, on the right there were certain rules. He took into account the four seasons. To open up the nine provinces, he made the nine roads passable, he damned the nine swamps, he leveled the nine mountains. He commanded Yi to give the people rice so that they could plant it in low and damp places. He charged Houji with giving the people food which they found difficult to find, those who had little food restored the agreement by exchanging with the others the things they had in excess, thus equality was established among the lords.

Then Yu went on a tour to examine what the land should produce, in order to determine its tribute. He also examined what advantages the mountains and rivers offered. Yu’s tour began in the province of Jì(冀州).

Ji Province: when he had worked at the mountain Húkǒu(壺口), he put order on the mountains Liáng(梁) and Qí(岐). Having made repairs at Tàiyuán(太原), he arrived at Yuèyáng(嶽陽). At Tánhuái(覃懷) he had he greatest merit, and he reached the rivers Héng(衡) and Zhāng(漳), the land there is white and friable, the royalties are in sum in the first rank, the fields there are in the fifth rank. The rivers Cháng(常) and Wèi(衞) followed a regular course, Dàlòu(大陸) was brought into cultivation. The Niao barbarians brought fur garments, they closely skirted the Jiéshí(碣石) on their right and entered the sea.

The Jì(濟) and the Hè(河) bound the province of Yǎn(沇). The nine branches of the Hè took a regular course. Léixià became a lake, the rivers Yōng(雍) and Jǔ(沮) joined, the land fit for mulberry trees was populated with silkworms. Then the people were able to come down from the hills to stay in the plain. The earth there is black and forms clods, the grasses are luxuriant and the trees are high, the fields are in the sixth rank, the dues were exactly in the same rank as the province, this one was put under cultivation in the thirteenth year and then those were required as for the other provinces. The tribute of this province consists of lacquer and silk, its manna contains ornate cloth. By sailing on the Jì and Luò(漯), one enters the Hè.

The sea and the mountain Dài(岱) bounded the province of Qīng(青). The territory of Yúyí(堣夷) was quickly developed, the Wei and the Zī(淄) followed their regular course. The earth there is white and forms clods, along the sea there are vast salt flats, the fields are ocvered with salt. The fields are in third place, the royalties are in fourth place. The tribute of the province consists of salt, fine cloth, and sea products, but it is variable. The Dai mountain valleys provide silk, hemp, lead, pine trees and singular stones. The Lái(萊) barbarians are pastoralists. The manes of the province contain the silk which the worms fed with the mulberry tree of the mountains. Sailing on the river Wen, one enters the river Jì.

The sea, the mountain Dai and the river Huai delimit the province of Xú. The rivers Huai and Yì(沂) were directed into their beds, Méng(蒙) and Yu were seeded, the lake Dàyě(大野) was enclosed within fixed limits, Dōngyuán(東原) could be a cultivated plain. The earth there is red and forms clods, grases and trees multiply forevermore. The fields are in second place, the taxes are in fifth place. The tribute consists of land of the five colours, pheasants from the valleys of the Yu mountain, lonely Paulownias from south of the Yì(嶧) mountain, sound stones which are found lying on the banks of the Sì(泗) river. The barbarians of the Huai bring pearls caught in oysters and fish. The manna of the province contain dark silks, fine silks and white silks. By sailing on the rivers Huai and Si, one enters the Hè.

The river Huai and the sea mark the boundary of the Yáng(揚) province. Lake Pénglí(彭蠡) was enclosed within restricted limits, and migratory birds settled there. The three Jiang entered the sea, the lake of Zé(澤) managed to be calmed. The fine bamboos multiplied, the grass was thin and long, the trees were raised, the soil is thick and muddy. The fields are in the ninth rank, the tribute is in the seventh rank and sometimes in the top rank. The tribute consists of metals of the three qualities, stones of the species Yáo(瑤) and Kūn(琨), fine bamboo, teeth, leather, feathers and tails. The barbarians of the islands bring clothes made of vegetable matter. The mannes of the province are full of cloth made of silks of various colours, it’s packages contain mandarins and grapefruits, but this is a tribute which they bring only when they are required. Following the Jiang and the sea, one arrived in the Huai and Si rivers.

Jīng(荆) mountain and the south of the Héng(衡) mountain bounded the provinces of Jing. The Jiang and Hàn(漢) went to the sea as lords go to the imperial audiences of spring and summer. The nine Jiang were exactly what they should be. The Tuó(沱) and the Cén(涔) had a regular course. The land of Yúnmèng(雲夢) was brought under cultivation and well regulated. The soil there is thick and muddy. The fields there are in the eighth rank, the tribute there is in the third tank. The tribute consists of feathers, tails, teeth, leather, metals of the three qualities, Chū([杶), Gàn(榦), Guā(栝) and Bǎi(柏) trees, coarse and fine millstones, stones used to make arrowheads and cinnabar. As for the bamboos of the Jùn(箘) and Lù(簬) species, and the Hù(楛) tree, the three kingdoms send the most renowned specimens as tribute. They wrap, after binding them in bundles, the Jīngmáo(菁茅) herbs. Their mannes are filled with dark blue and red cloths, and rows of beads which are not round. The land of the nine Jiang brings, as an extraordinary present, the great tortoise. By sailing on the Jiang, the Tuo and Cen, and by crossing the country as far as the Luò(雒), one arrives at the southern part of He.

The south of the mountain Huá(華) and the Hēi(黑) river bound Liáng(梁) province. Wèn(汶) and Bō(嶓) were brought under cultivation. The rivers Tuo and Cen had a regular course. At Cài(蔡) and Méng, Yu celebrated with sacrifices for the restoration of order. At Héyí(和夷) he was able to carry out works. The soil there is green and black, the fields are in the seventh rank, the tribute is in the eight rank and sometimes in the higher and lower rank. The tribute consists of precious stones, iron, silver, steel, stones for making arrowheads and musical stones, skins of common and striped bears, foxes and wild cats and cloth made from their hair. Starting from the Xīqīng(西傾), they follow the course of the river Huán(桓), they sail on the Qián(潛), they make a portage to the Miǎn(沔) river, they enter the Wei river and cross the He.

The Hei river and the western He bound the province of Yōng(雍). The Ruò(弱) river ran westward, the Jing brought to meet the Wei. The Qī(漆) and Jǔ(沮) did the same. It was also here that the river Fēng(灃) came to flow. On the mountains of Jing and Qì, Yu made sacrifices. He did the same on the mountains of Zhōngnán(終南), Dūnwù(敦物), and up to the mountain Niǎoshǔ(鳥鼠). He executed works in the plains and swamps, ans as far as Dōuyě(都野). The territory of Sānwēi(三危) was settled, a general order was established among the Sanmiao. The soil there is yellow and friable. The fields are in the first rank there, the tribute is in the sixth rank. The tribute consists of precious stones of the species Qiú(璆), flax and Lánggān(琅玕). The people of the province sail from the Jīshí(積石) to Lóngmén(龍門), which is on the western He. Others find them at the confluence of the Wei river. The Kūnlún(昆侖), who have cloth made of skins, the Xīzhī(析支), the Qúsōu(渠搜) and the Róng(戎) of the west were subjected to the rule.

Yu travelled the nine mountains:

The first range includes the Qiān(汧), then the Qí(岐), it extends as far as Jing mountain. The second range includes the ones on the other side of the He, the Hukou and the Léishǒu(雷首), and extends as far as the Taìyuè(太嶽). The third range includes the Dǐzhù(砥柱) and the Xīchéng(析城), and extends to the Wángwū(王屋). The fourth range has the Tàixíng(太行) and the Chángshān(常山), and it extends to the Jiéshí(碣石) and enters the sea. The fifth range includes the Xīqīng(西傾), the Zhūyǔ(朱圉), and the Niǎoshǔ(鳥鼠), and extends to the Tàihuá(太華). The sixth range includes the Xióng’ěr(熊耳), Wàifāng(外方), and Tóngbǎi(桐柏), and it extends to the Fùwěi(負尾). The seventh range includes the Bōzhǒng(嶓冢) and extends to Jing mountain. The eight chain includes the Nèifāng(内方) and extends to Dàbié(大別). The ninth range includes the south of Wen mountain, and extends to Heng mountain, crosses the nine Jiang and extends to the Fūqiǎn(敷淺) plateau. Yu travelled the nine rivers.

The Ruo river passes through the mountain Hélí(合黎), the surplus of its waters enter the quicksand. Yu travelled the Hei river, it passes through Sanwei and enters the South Sea (南海). Yu travelled the He, from Jishi, he went as far as Longmen. To the south, he reached the north of the Hua mountain. To the east, he reached the mountain Dǐzhù(砥柱), further east he reached the ford of Méng(盟), to the east it passes its confluence with the river Luo and arrives at Dàpī(大邳). To the north, it passes the river Jiàng(降) and arrives at Dàlù(大陸). To the north, it divides into the nine He, these join to form the Nìhé, which flow into the sea. From the Bozhong, Yu travelled the river Yàng(瀁), it flows east and becomes to Han. Further east becomes the river of Cānglàng(蒼浪), it passes the three Shì(澨) and enters the territory of Dabie. To the south, it enters the Jiang. To the east, the Huì(匯) marsh becomes the Pénglí(彭蠡). To the east, it becomes the northern Jiang and flows into the sea. From the Wen mountain, Yu travelled the Jiang. To the east, there is a separate branch which is the Tuo. Further east it reached the Lǐ(醴), it passes the nine Jiang and reaches the Dōnglíng(東陵). Further east it tends northwards and joins the Huai, further east it becomes the central Jiang and flows into sea. Yu travelled the Yǎn(沇), to the east it becomes the Jì river, which enters the Hè, and then emerges to form the Xíng(滎). To the east, the stream emerges north of the Táoqiū(陶丘), further east it reaches the swamp of Hé(荷), further north-east it joins the river Wen. Further north, it enters the sea to the east. Yu travelled the Huai, starting from Tóngbǎi(桐柏), to the east it meets the rivers Sì(泗) and Yí(沂), to the east it enters the sea. Yu travelled the Wei, it starts from mount Niǎoshǔ-tóngxué(鳥鼠同穴), to the east it joins the Fēng(灃). Further northeast, it reaches the Jīng(涇) river, to the eat it passes the Qī and Jǔ and enters the He. Yo travelled through the Luò, coming from mount Xiong’er, to the northeast he joins the Jiàn(㵎) and the Chán(瀍). Further east, he joins the river Yi, to the northeast he enters the river.

Then the nine provinces were regulated in a uniform manner, in the four directions the lowlands were inhabited, on the nine mountains the trees were notched, the nine streams were cleared to their sources, the nine lakes dammed up, in the interior of the four seas was everything united and harmonious, the six domains of nature were in perfect order. The various lands were determined by their relative value and, in order to pay their contributions, were careful to bring the fee for their productions, for all of them the fee was fixed according to one of the three categories, in which they were arranged.

In the Middle Kingdom, the emperor conferred lands and clan names; they were pleased with respect to take his virtue as their guide: “Let there be no deviation”, said the emperor, “from my line of conduct.”

He established for the kingdom of the Son of Heaven and for those outside it following the rule. Five hundred li constitute the imperial domain. In the first hundred li, one brings in royalty the whole grain, in second hundred li one brings the ears, in the third hundred li one brings the stubble, but it subject to drudgery, in the fourth hundred li the grain is not husked, in the fifth hundred li it is husked. On a space of five hundred li outside the imperial domain, this is the domain of the lords, in the first hundred li, presents are brought, in the second hundred li are those who have a public office, in the other three hundred li are the lords. On a space of five hundred li outside the domain of the lords, is the domain of peace, in the first three hundred li, the rule is imposed by gentle instruction, in the other two hundred li, military garrisons are deployed. On a space of five hundred li outside the domain of peace, it is the domain of contrast, in the first three hundred li are the Yi barbarians, in the other two hundred li are the banished. On a space of five hundred li outside the domain of constraint is the uncultivated domain, in the first three hundred li are the Man barbarians, in the other two hundred li are the wandering peoples.

In the east, Yu went as far as the sea, in the west he went as far as the quicksand, in the north and south, in the places illuminated by the sun, his fame was a teaching, he went as far as the four seas.

Then the emperor conferred on Yu a badge of black jade to inform the world that his work was well done. Following this, the world was governed in great peace.

Gaoyao served as the chief in charge of dispensing justice among the people. Emperor Shun held an audience, Yu, Boyi and Gaoyao discussed among themselves in the presence of the emperor, Gaoyao expounded his ideas in these terms:

• If the sovereign remains faithful to his leadership and virtue, the advice given to him will be wise, the assistance to him harmonious.

Yu said:

• No doubt, but what do you mean by this?

Gaoyao said:

• If he takes care of the good conduct of his person, his thoughts will be profound; he will observe sincerity and rank in the nine degrees of kinship, all the wise men will be the wings on which he will rise, what is near will be worthy of approval, what is far away will be under his hand.

Yu praised his speech with a bow and said:

• It is true.

Gaoyao said:

• The main thing is that he knows himself as a man, the main thing is that he gives calm to the people

Yu said:

• Let it be absolutely so, that is what the emperor himself has found difficult. When the ruler knows himself in men, he is prudent and knows how to appoint men to office, when he knows how to give calm to the people, then he is good and the black-haired people love him. When he knows how to be good, when he knows how to be prudent, how would he be worried about Huandou, how would he be troubled by Sanmiao, how would he be frightened by the deceitful men with the artificial words and the pleasant exterior?

Gaoyao said:

• Yes. If on the one hand, there are nine virtues in a man’s conduct, on the other when he speaks of his virtues, we express ourselves by saying that he engages in this or that action: he is indulgent, but energetic; he is gentle, but firm; he is bold, but respectful; he is authoritative, but circumspect; he is submissive, but resolute; he is inflexible, but affable; he is indifferent to details, but attentive; he is strong, but sincere; he is powerful, but just. He who shines with these virtues and possesses them perpetually is the excellent man. He who daily manifests three of these virtues, he is attentive and intelligent morning and evening, and will be put in charge of a house. He who daily practices six of these virtues strictly and ardently, he is a faithful servant and will be put in charge of a kingdom. If the ruler gathers and collects such men to administer, those who possess the nine virtues will all be in his service, the men who are worth a thousand andd the men who are worth a hundred will fill the public offices, the hundred officers will be respectful and diligent, they will not teach evil practices or contrived counsels. If such men do not occupy the offices that are theirs to occupy, this is called disturbing the heavenly order. Heaven punishes crimes, the five punishments have their five applications. Can my words be put into practice?

Yu said:

• Your words can in the highest degree be successfully carried out.

Gaoyao says:

• As for me, I do not know yet, but I help to walk in the right path.

Shun turned to Yu and said:

• Your turn, speak well

Yu said:

• What shall I say? I have only thought of applying myself unceasingly every day

Gaoyao stopped Yu and said:

• What do you mean by applying yourself unceasingly?

Yu said:

• The waters rose to the sky, the immense sheet surrounded the mountain and submerged the hills, all the people of the plain were overwhelmed by the waters, to go on land, I rode in a chariot, to go on water, I rode a boat, to go on mud, I rode a van, to go on mountains, I rode on crampons, I rode on mountains and made cuts in the trees. With Yì(益), I gave the people rice and fresh food. By opening the course of the nine rivers, I led them to the four seas, I deepened the canals by one foot and the canals by sixteen feet, and let them to the rivers.  With Jì(稷), I gave to the multitude the food which they had difficulty in obtaining, those who had little food exchanged the things which they had in excess for what they lacked. I moved the residences of all the people and fixed them, the ten thousand states were well governed.

Gaoyao said:

• Yes, this is certainly beautiful.

Yu said:

• Ah, O emperor, give your full attention to the place you occupy, you will be calm by having reached the goal, your helpers will be virtuous, the empire will universally respond to your pure thought, thereby it will be made clear that you have received the mandate of the Emperor from above, heaven will renew its mandate and show favour to you.

The Emperor said:

• My ministers! My ministers! My ministers, be my legs and my arms, my ears and my eyes, if I wish to help my people, it is for you to help them, if I wish to contemplate the images made by ancient men, namely the sun, the moon and the stars whose colours are represented by paint or embroidered on clothes, it is for you to distinguish them well. If I hear the six sound tubes, the five notes and the eight musical instruments and observe the qualities and defects of the government by spreading and collecting the words composed on the five notes, it is for you to listen. If I deviate from the good, it is for you to correct and resist me, do not flatter me to my face and criticise me from behind. Be on your guard, you ministers who assist me on all four sides. No matter how many slanderous and perverse subjects there may be, if the sovereign’s virtue is spread with sincerity, all will be pure.

Yu said:

• That is true, if the emperor does not act in that way and employs the good and the bad indiscriminately, then there will be no more success.

The Emperor said:

• Do not favour the arrogance of Danzhu, he only enjoyed laziness and amusements, when there was no water he wanted to go by boat, he indulged in incestuous debauchery in his own family, by this conduct he put an end to his lineage, I could not favour this.

Yu said:

• I married a daughter of the family Túshān(涂山), in the days of Guǐ(癸) and Jiǎ(甲) she bore Qǐ(启). I did not treat him as my son, in this way I was able to accomplish my great works on the water and lands, I helped to establish the five domains and went as far as five thousand li, in the provinces there were twelve masters, outside I went as far as the four seas, over all men I established the five chiefs. Each of those who behaved well saw his merit recognised, the Miao who had been uncooperative were therefore without merit.

The Emperor said:

• To walk in the same virtuous way as I do, it is your merit that will do it with order.

Then Gaoyao was full of respect for Yu’s virtue, he ordered the common people to all take Yu as an example, those who did not obey his words, he pursued with punishment.

Shun’s virtue was very bright. Then Kuí(夔) made music, the deceased forefather and father came, all the princes made mutual concessions, the birds fluttered and the walking animals danced, to the sound of the nine tunes of the Xiāosháo(箫韶) music, the male and female phoenix came gracefully, the hundred animals danced to the tune, the hundred officials were faithful and harmonious. The emperor took advantage of this to make a song, he said:

• He who has been raised up by the mandate of Heaven must be attentive to all occasions, attentive to the smallest matters.

Then he sang, saying:

• When the ministers work happily (股肱喜哉/Gǔgōng xǐ zāi)
  And the king is envigorated (元首起哉/Yuánshǒu qǐ zāi)

All things will prosper (百工熙哉/Bǎigōng xī zāi)

Gaoyao bowed down and raised his voice, saying:

• The guidance you give is what makes all things flourish, be careful of your laws, be vigilant.

And in turn he made a song, and said:

• When the king above is intelligent (元首明哉/Yuánshǒu míng zāi)
  And the ministers are excellent (股肱良哉/Gǔgōng liángzāi)
  All things are prosperous (庶事康哉/Shù shì kāngzāi)

And he sang this:

• When the king above has no good thoughts (元首丛脞哉/Yuánshǒu cóngcuǒzāi)
  And the ministers are lazy (股肱惰哉/Gǔgōng duò zāi)
  All things will go to ruin (万事堕哉/Wànshì duò zāi)

The emperor saluted and said:

• Yes, go and be vigilant.

Then the empire took as its rule the measures and numbers, the notes and music as Yu had clearly determined them, Yu presided over the gods of the mountains and streams.

Emperor Shun presented Yu to heaven to be his successor. Seventeen years later, Emperor Shun died. When the three year mourning was over, Yu refused power and withdrew before Shāngjūn(商均), Shun’s son, at Yángchéng(阳城). The lords of the empire all left Shangjun and came to pay homage to Yu, therefore Yu took the dignity of Son of Heaven, facing south, he gave audience to the empire. The title that came from his kingdom was the ruler of Xia, his surname was Sì(姒). When the emperor Yu had taken power, he promoted Gaoyao and presented him to heaven, he wanted to hand over the government to him, but Gaoyao died. He gave Gaoyao’s descendants 300 lands in Ying (英) and Liu (六); one resided in Xu (许).

益(Yì)

Then the ruler promoted Yi and entrusted him with the government, ten years later, Emperor Yu went east to survey the lands, when he arrived at Mount Guìjī(会稽), he died. He had handed over the empire to Yi. When the three-year mourning period was over, Yi handed over power to Qi, son of Yu, he withdrew and settled south of Jī(箕) mountain. Qi, son of Yu, was wise, the feelings of the empire were attached to him, so when Yu died, although he had handed over the empire to Yi, him having helped Yu only a short time, had not yet please the empire, all the lords left Yi and came to pay homage to Qi saying:

• Our prince is the son of the emperor Yu.

So Qǐ(啓) took the dignity of Son of Heaven, this was Emperor Qi, ruler of Xia. Emperor Qi was the son of Yu, his mother was a daughter of the Tushan tribe.

啓(Qǐ)

The prince of Hù(扈) did not submit, Qi punished him, and he fought a great battle at Gān(甘). Before engaging in battle, he made the speech of Gan, he called the six high dignitaries to tell them his thought, Qi said:

• Men of the six armies, I have a harangue to address you. The prince of Hu despises the elements with arrogance, he neglects and abandons the three regulating principles. That is why Heaven suppresses and interrupts his mandate, and now I am only respectfully carrying out the heavenly punishment. If those on the left do not do their duty on the left, if those on the right do not do their duty on the right, it will be that you do not respect my orders, if you, coachment, do not direct your horses well, it will be that you do not respect my orders.
  Those who observe my orders, I will reward them before the ancestor
  Those who do not obey my orders, I will put them to death before the god of the earth
  I will certainly destroy you and your children

Then he crushed the prince of Hu. The whole empire paid tribute to the ruler of Xia. Emperor Ji died.  His son, Emperor Tàikāng(太康), took power.

太康(Tàikāng)

Emperor Taikang lost his kingdom, his five brothers waited for him at the confluence of the Luo river and made songs of the five sons.

His younger brother, Zhòngkāng(仲康), took power, this was Emperor Zhongkang.

仲康(Zhòngkāng)

In the time of Emperor Zhongkang, Xi and He immersed themselves in orgies and debauchery, they neglected the seasons and made trouble in the days, the prince of Yin went to chastise them. The punishment of Yin was made. Zhongkang died.

His son, Emperor Xiāng(相) took power.

相(Xiāng)

He died. His son, Emperor Shǎokāng(少康) took power.

少康(Shǎokāng)

He died. His son, Emperor Yǔ(予) took power.

予(Yǔ)

He died. His son, Emperor Huái(槐) took power.

槐(Huái)

He died. His son, Emperor Máng(芒) took power.

芒(Máng)

He died. His son, Emperor Xiè(泄) took power.

泄(Xiè)

He died. His son, Emperor Bùjiàng(不降) took power.

不降(Bùjiàng)

He died. His younger brother, Emperor Jiōng(扃) took power.

扃(Jiōng)

He died. His son, Emperor Jǐn(厪) took power.

厪(Jǐn)

He died. Kǒngjiǎ(孔甲), son of Emperor Bujiang, was given power, he was Emperor Kongjia.

Kǒngjiǎ(孔甲)

When the Emperor Kongjia took power, he liked to deal with that concerning the spirits and the gods, he lived in debauchery and disorder. The virtue of the Xia dynasty became perverted, the lords abandoned it. Heaven brought down two dragons, a female and a male, Kongjia could not feed them, for he did not have the One Who Maintains Dragons. 

Now, after the family of Táotáng(陶唐) had fallen into decay, one of his descendants, Liúlèi(刘累), learned how to tame dragons from the One Who Maintains Dragons. Wherefore, he entered the service of Kongjia, Kongjia conferred on him the name of He Who Rules the Dragons. Liulei received the estate of Shǐwéi(豕韦). The female dragon died, and he made the ruler of Xia eat it, the ruler of Xia sent for the dragon, Liulei was afraid and transported himself elsewhere.

Kongjia died, his son Emperor Gāo(皋) took power.

皋(Gāo)

He died. His son, Emperor Fā(发) took power.

发(Fā)

He died. His son, Emperor Lǚguǐ(履癸) took power, it was Jié(桀).

桀(Jié)

In the time of Emperor Jie, the lords, who had begun to defect from the time of Kongjia, revolted in greater and greater numbers. Jie, ruler of Xia, did not care about virtue, but he terrorised and made the hundred families suffer, the hundred families could not stand it. So the emperor sent for Tāng(汤) and imprisoned him in Xiàtái(夏台), afterwards he released him. Tang practised virtue, all the lords took refuge with him, so he put himself at the head of the soldiers to punish Jie of the Xia dynasty. Jie fled to Míngtiáo(鸣条), so he was exiled and died. Jie said to the people:

• I regret that I did not destroy Tang at once in Xiatai, for this is what I have brought.

Then Tang took the dignity of Son of Heaven, in place of the ruler of Xia, he gave audience to the emperor. He conferred some lands on the descendants of the Xia, who in the Zhōu(周) dynasty received the land of Qǐ(杞). The Imperial Historian says: “Yu’s surname was Si, his descendants distinguished themselves by their lands and took the names of their kingdoms as their surnames, thus there were the families Xiàhòu(夏后), Hù(扈), Nán(男), Zhēnxún(斟寻), Tóngchéng(彤城), Bāo(襃), Fèi(费), Qi, Zēng(缯), Xīn(辛), Míng(冥), and Zhēngē(斟戈). Kongzi(孔子/Confucius) took the seasons of the Xia as his rule, and scholars in great numbers have handed down to us in the small calendar of the Xia. It was from the time of Yu (Shun) and the Xia that the system of tributes and fees was organised. It has been said, Yu gathered the lords south of the Jiang to make an account of their merits, but he died and was buried there, the title conferred on this place was Guiji, for Guiji meant to gather and make an account.