YU THE GREAT

Ancient Chinese Urban Planning

China has a tradition of urban planning dating back thousands of years. Much of its evolution, or
rather strengthening, was greatly influenced by the country’s devotion to the divine. One of the
greatest rulers and crucial strategist in establishing the ancient Chinese civilization was Yu the Great
(2200 -2100 BCE), also known as Da Yu or Xia Yu.

Yu’s father, Gun was an artisan skilled in the construction of walls. Emperor Yao of that time placed
him in charge of the effort to control the flooding, but they did not get along. Gun set up many
dikes, but these proved to be ineffective. People perished en masse as water levels rose and broke
the levees time and again.1

According to legend, Gun and Yu were descendants of The Yellow Emperor. Yu learned much from
his father, who went to control the flood when Yu was 10 years old. Continuing his father’s work, Yu
worked for the Emperor’s son. He was greatly favoured for his dedication to his work, and was
given the massive task of controlling the catastrophic flood that had besieged China for decades.

The story of Yu in undertaking this great feat had been famous. It was told that four days after his
marriage, he had left his wife to continue working on the channels. For thirteen years he did not
enter his house, even after passing it three times during his work in the region. He was very much
committed to his work, even putting his family aside and choosing his people foremost.

After subduing the Great Flood, the ravages of disaster still had China in a chaotic state. It was still a
problem on how the country might be unified. Yu then a key statesman, has applied peaceful
measures using virtue instead of violence in gaining the confidence of the populace. When the time
has come for the Emperor to abdicate the throne to a man of intelligence and integrity, Yu was
chosen for his morals and virtues.

To further avoid casualties among the inhabitants; he divided the Han Chinese territory into nine
provinces, and the people into nine groups, then designated each group to live in one of the nine
provinces. Yu’s government laid the foundation for Chinese feudalism, a system in which dukes and
princes each paid tribute to a common sovereign to vouchsafe their loyalty.2 A ceremonial
gathering of the nobles established the Nine States, casting nine bronze vessels that represent each
of the feudal states. These vessels would eventually be inherited by the succeeding Shang and Zhou
Dynasties.

1
Epoch Times (2016, 25 July). Legendary Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Rise of Yu the Great. Retrieved from
https://www.theepochtimes.com/legendary-foundations-of-chinese-civilization-the-rise-of-yu-the-great_2122932.html
2 Epoch Times (2016, 19 August). Legendary Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Rule of Emperor Yu the Great. Retrieved

from https://www.theepochtimes.com/legendary-foundations-of-chinese-civilization-the-rule-of-emperor-yu-the-
great_2137294.html
Emperor Yu started China’s first hereditary dynasty, the Xia Dynasty, marking the end of Primitive
society and the beginning of the Class society. With his admirable qualities in being a ruler, he had
secured the people’s trust and was able to pass the throne to his son Qi. This changed the tradition
of attaining the throne through abdication, and replacing it with hereditary succession. He finalized
the creation of the Chinese realm and its spiritually inspired culture. Under his enlightened rule,
Yu’s system of order reached even remote and desolate regions.3

Central features on his contribution to the study and practice planning

The Great Flood, which has inundated China for over two generations, was a natural disaster that
was described as pouring forth destruction and overtopping hills and mountains.4 This was a
massive undertaking at that time, while the Pyramids are being built by the Egyptians for their Gods
and rulers (2600 BCE), Yu was building channels that would combat natural disaster and eventually
give the people peace and security against the ravaging waters of the Yellow River and Yangtze
River.

Yu figured out a way of digging channels to conduct water into the sea. He used the principles of
topography and how to work with, rather than against, the characteristics of the water element. He
successfully devised a system of flood controls that were crucial in establishing the prosperity of the
Chinese heartland. Instead of directly damming the rivers’ flow, he made a system of irrigation
canals which relieved floodwater into fields. Alongside this he also spent a great effort in dredging
the riverbeds.

The narratives of the Great Flood of prehistoric China provided some insight into social
development during this era. The various versions of the Gun-Yu story on how they approached the
problem of flooding depict the differences, between Gun, the father, and his son, Yu. Their story
contrasts the relative success or failure, in thinking small-scale as opposed to applying a large-scale
methodology, thus in this era, exemplifying a kind of societal transition.

In this case, Gun represents a society at an earlier technological stage, which engages in small scale
agriculture which involves raising areas of arable land sufficiently above the level of the marshes
existing then in the flood plains of the Yellow River system. This had later proved to be ineffective,
as the dikes and levees built at the time cannot hold the increasing rise in flood waters. Yu and his
work in controlling the flood would symbolize a later type of society, a one which possessed of

3
Epoch Times (2016, 19 August). Legendary Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Rule of Emperor Yu the Great. Retrieved
from https://www.theepochtimes.com/legendary-foundations-of-chinese-civilization-the-rule-of-emperor-yu-the-
great_2137294.html
4
Wu, K. C. (1982). Emperor Yao as quoted in the Book of History, describing the flood. The Chinese Heritage. New York: Crown
Publishers. ISBN 0-517-54475-X. p 69
technological innovations allowing a much larger scale approach to transforming wetlands to arable
fields.5

After gaining control of the flood waters of the river, Yu also constructed irrigation systems and
reservoirs for the people of the future. This later on transformed much of the landscape which
appear in the mythological descriptions as symbolically representative of a gridded drainage system
engineered to permanently eliminate entire marsh areas, in favour of agriculturally exploitable
fields. Concurrent to this, Yu also levelled large-scale for soil planting of crops.

Yu’s work in the Yellow River region successfully diverted the excess water back to the ocean. The
popular Gate of Yu was a widened gap in the mountain pass. The passes and ravines he created
turned the river basin from a natural disaster zone to an irrigated cradle of civilization.6

Much like the idiom of killing two birds with one stone, Yu has created a solution that also benefits
the environment. Water, a very important natural resource can be beneficial when managed
properly. His approach of harnessing its flow rather than going against it, while making use of
topographical features of the land, is a good practice of adaptation.

Another contribution of Yu as planner and leader is the maintenance of harmony and balance. The
will to follow the Tao, Yu taught, was the true essence of humanity – that is, to be one with heaven,
earth, and nature on the path to becoming a superior man and even a divine human being. This is
reflected well on their culture as their life (ceremonies, rites and cultivation) was in tune with the
seasons of nature. Being a pious leader, the people of the nine regions followed him and this has
united the entire kingdom. In his legendary era, the people revered heaven and cultivated moral
quality.

Application to the Philippine Setting

The Philippines, an archipelagic country with 142 critical watersheds7, is a developing country that is
vulnerable to calamities. Disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) is an important function
of the government in advancing the rights and general welfare of the people. Much of what is being
programmed today are “reactive” and not “proactive” strategies that would address natural
disasters and calamities. Like Yu, it is high time we go back to the drawing board, and review the
best approach that would superlatively, if not ultimately, address the perennial problem of flooding
and the constraints for potable water source in our country. Instead of focusing on rescue and
relief, a large amount of the allocated budget for DRRM must be placed into carefully planned
projects and programs aimed at immediate mitigation as well as long term adaptation to the
changing times.

5 Hawkes, David, translator and introduction (2011 [1985]). Qu Yuan et al., The Songs of the South: An Ancient Chinese
Anthology of Poems by Qu Yuan and Other Poets. London: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-0-14-044375-2 p 138-139
6
Epoch Times (2016, 25 July). Legendary Foundations of Chinese Civilization: The Rise of Yu the Great. Retrieved from
https://www.theepochtimes.com/legendary-foundations-of-chinese-civilization-the-rise-of-yu-the-great_2122932.html
7
DENR River Basin Control Office. Retrieved from http://rbco.denr.gov.ph/142-critical-watersheds/
Being a democratic country, the power to rule of any leader must emanate from the consent of the
governed. Thus the support and admiration of the populace is crucial in effective government.
Though most of the time the general public is not well informed in their criticisms, it is still valuable
that they are agreeable to the government - thus our barometers such as approval ratings, surveys
and popularity measures. Though times have changed from ancient to present, the principle of
leadership must remain morally unchallenged. The qualities possessed of Yu as planner and Leader,
must be replicated to the present day. Being a moral leader, is an effective means to unite our
country in the various challenges it faces every day.

Yu the Great is admired not only for his unremitting endeavours to fight against natural disaster,
but also for forgetting his interest to help other people. Sage-Kings that are lauded for their virtues
and morals might seem far and ancient, but may actually be the solution to the pressing problems
of society. Our own leaders may look up to these ancient rulers for their virtues and contribution to
their generation and to mankind.