Xia Dynasty

夏朝

Yu the Great

大禹

Yu the Great is still remembered and respected as the ruler who got the Yellow River back under control.

大禹因是使黄河流域再度得到控制的君主而仍被铭记与尊敬。

He lived about four thousand years ago. At that time， people suffered from a big flood of the Yellow River King Shun,

他大约生活在4000年前。那个时候，人民遭受着君主舜时期的一场大洪水。

the ruler before Yu, initially assigned Yu’s father Gun to handle the problem.

舜是大禹之前的统治者，他一开始指派禹的父亲鲧去解决这个问题。

Gun tried out a method that consisted of blocking up the water wherever the flooding occurred.

鲧尝试了一个方法，在洪水出没的地方将水堵住。

Nine years later, the situation had become even worse with the river overflowing everywhere.

9年后，情况变得更糟，河水四溢。

King Shun was very angry about what Gun had done, and ended up dismissing Gun and appointing Yu.

君主舜对于鲧的所作所为非常生气并最终弃用了鲧，任命了禹。

Yu learned techniques from his father and adopted a new way of dredging water channels and conducting the river to the sea.

禹从他的父亲那里学到了技术并采用了疏通水道、引河入海的新方法。

He went into this project of water control with all his heart,

他全心全意进行治水的工程。

and it was said that during this period of time, he passed by his house three times but never went inside.

据传在治水期间，禹曾三过家门而不入。

It took him 13 years to tame the river.

征服河流花了他13年的时间。

The story of Yu’s battle against the flood speaks of the fearless spirit of ancient people faced with natural disaster.

大禹治水的故事描述了古人们遇到自然在还是无所畏惧的精神。

King Shun was impressed by Yu's endeavors and passed his throne to Yu later on.

君主舜对禹的努力印象深刻，后来把自己的王位传给了禹。

Yu the Great was the last legendary leader of the primitive society, in which the election of the leader followed the merit system.

大禹是远古社会最后一位传说中的君主，那时君主的选拔唯才是用。

It was Qi, the son of Yu, who violated this practice.

禹的儿子启违反了这个惯例。

He killed the person Yu the Great had appointed and succeeded his father’s power.

他杀掉了大禹任命的的人，承袭了他父亲的权力。

Qi founded the Xia Dynasty (21st-16th century BC) and initiated the hereditary system of monarchy.

启建立了夏朝（公元前21世纪至公元前16世纪）并开启了君主世袭制。