Woo

He is said to be the founder of the Xia Dynasty in China. When a great flood occurred in China, Gun's failure was followed by his son Yu, who succeeded in controlling the floods, and in recognition of his achievements, he was given the throne by Emperor Shun, according to the Records of the Grand Historian and other sources. In the Yu Tribute Chapter of the Book of Documents, there is an article about Yu dividing China into nine provinces and determining appropriate tributes for each region, but this is likely a fictionalization of the situation around the Warring States period in later times, set in Yu's time. The story of the abdication of the throne from Yao to Shun, and from Shun to Yu, also seems to have been created around this time. In the early Warring States period, Mozi had deep respect for Yu's diligence and simple lifestyle, as he devoted himself to flood control without regard for his family, and even today there are places all over China that are associated with the legend of Yu's flood control.

[Yoshihiko Ogura]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、夏(か)王朝の始祖とされる人物。中国に大洪水が起こったとき、鯀(こん)の失敗の後を受けて、その子の禹が治水に成功し、その功によって帝舜(しゅん)から天子の位を譲られた、と『史記』夏本紀などは伝える。『尚書(しょうしょ)』（書経）禹貢篇(うこうへん)には、禹が中国全土を9州に分け、それぞれの土地に適した貢納品を定めたという記事があるが、これは後世戦国時代ごろの状況を禹の時代に仮託したものであろう。堯(ぎょう)から舜へ、舜から禹へと天子の位が禅譲(ぜんじょう)されたという説話も、このころできあがったらしい。戦国初期の墨子(ぼくし)は、家族を顧みず治水に奔走した禹の勤勉さや質素な生活態度に、深い敬意を払っており、現在でも中国各地に禹の治水伝説にまつわる場所が存在している。

［小倉芳彦］

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