A New-perspective Textual Research of Dayu' s Flood Control

摘要

"Dayu (Yu,the Great) Controlling Water" is a famous legend relating to traditional Chinese water culture.On the basis of a thorough textual and logical research,this article makes a further study of Dayu' s birthplace,methods of water control and contributions as well as the influence of the legend itself on today' s construction of water conservancy project.Born in area of Shu (present-day Sichuan),Dayu married his wife and made his initial achievements in the area of Ba (the core area of the present-day Three Gorges areas),and succeeded in optimizing his methods of water control and controlling the floods.As his methods had became mature after gaining much experience in Ba,he then controlled floods in the whole country in a comprehensive way.The methods of water control of Dayu are featured with diversity and flexibility,among which the later generations have argued most about his utilization of"the five elements" and "Xirang" The five specific elements include water,fire,wood,metal and earth.In its narrow sense,water refers to the various forms of water in nature,wood is aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals,mental means all minerals on the earth except earth,fire refers to the sunshine,and earth the land and silt as well as the other materials on the surface of the earth,"Xirang" referring to the silt sediments in the rivers.Dayu,who has taken the advantages of the innate characters of water,such as softness,inclusiveness,mildness,powerfulness and kindness etc.,owned the four virtues of water as "kindness,justice,bravery and intelligence",has exerted important influence on the following generations for his prominent contribution to water control and unification of the country and both his personality charm and the ideas and methods of water control as well are inspiring for water conservancy practice and projects in present era.