From the hill of Hsi-ching they came by the course of the Hwan; floated along the Chien, and then crossed the country to the Mien; passed to the Wei, and finally ferried across the Ho.

10. The Black-water and western Ho were the boundaries of Yung Chau.11

The Weak-water was conducted westward. The Ching was led to mingle its waters with those of the Wei. The Chi and the Chu were next led in a similar way to the Wei, and the waters of the Feng found the same receptacle.

The mountains Ching and Chi were sacrificed to. Those of Chung-nan and Chun-wu were also regulated, and all the way on to Niao-shu. Successful measures could now be taken with the plains and swamps, even to the marsh of Chuyeh. The country of San-wei was made habitable, and the affairs of the people of San-miao were greatly arranged.

The soil of the province was yellow and mellow. Its fields were the highest of the highest class, and its contribution of revenue the lowest of the second. Its articles of tribute were the Chiu jade and the lin, and the stones called lang-kan.

Past Chi-shih they floated on to Lung-man on the western Ho. They then met on the north of the Wei with the tributebearers from other quarters.

Hair-cloth and skins were brought from Khwan-lun, Hsichih, and Chu-sau, the wild tribes of the west all coming to submit to Yu's arrangements.

Section 2

1. Yu surveyed and described the hills, beginning with Chien and Chi and proceeding to mount Ching; then, crossing the Ho, Hu-khau, and Lei-shau, going on to Thai-yo. After these came Ti-chu and Hsi-chang, from which he went on to Wang-wu; then there were Thai-hang and mount Hang,

11 The Black-water, which was the western boundary of Yung Chau, was a different river from that which, with the same name, ran along the south of Liang Chau. Yung Chau was probably the largest of Yu's provinces, embracing nearly all the present provinces of Shen-hsi and Kan-su, and extending indefinitely northward to the Desert.

from which he proceeded to the rocks of Chieh, where he reached the sea.

South of the Ho, he surveyed Hsi-ching, Chu-yu, and Niao-shu, going on to Thai-hwa; then Hsiung-r, Wai-fang, and Thung-pai, from which he proceeded to Pei-wei.

He surveyed and described Po-chung, going on to the other mount Ching; and Nei-fang, from which he went on to Ta-pieh.

He did the same on to Mount Hang.

with the south of mount Min, and went Then crossing the nine Chiang, he pro

ceeded to the plain of Fu-chien.

2. He traced the Weak-water as far as the Ho-li mountains, from which its superfluous waters went away among the moving sands.

He traced the Black-water as far as San-wei, from which it went away to enter the southern sea.

He traced the Ho from Chi-shih as far as Lung-man; and thence, southward, to the north of mount Hwa; eastward then to Ti-chu; eastward again to the ford of Mang; eastward still to the junction of the Lo; and then on to Ta-pei. From this the course was northward, past the Chiang-water, on to Ta-lu; north from which the river was divided, and became the nine Ho, which united again, and formed the Meeting Ho, when they entered the sea.

From Po-chung he traced the Yang, which, flowing eastward, became the Han. Farther east it became the water of Tshang-lang; and after passing the three Dykes, it went on to Ta-pieh, southward from which it entered the Chiang. Eastward still, and whirling on, it formed the marsh of Phang-li; and from that its eastern flow was the northern Chiang, as which it entered the sea.

From mount Min he traced the Chiang, which, branching off to the east, formed the Tho; eastward again, it reached the Li, passed the nine Chiang, and went on to Tung-ling; then flowing east, and winding to the north, it joined the Han with its eddying movements. From that its eastern flow was the middle Chiang, as which it entered the sea.

He traced the Yen water, which, flowing eastward, became

the Chi, and entered the Ho. Thereafter it flowed out, and became the Yung marsh. Eastward, it issued forth on the north of Thao-chiu, and flowed farther east to the marsh of Ko; then it went northeast, and united with the Wan; thence it went north, and finally entered the sea on the east.

He traced the Hwai from the hill of Thung-pai. Flowing east, it united with the Sze and the I, and still with an eastward course entered the sea.

He traced the Wei from the hill Niao-shu-thung-hsueh. Flowing eastward, it united with the Feng, and eastward again with the Ching. Farther east still, it passed the Chi and the Chu, and entered the Ho.

He traced the Lo from the hill Hsiung-r. Flowing to the northeast, it united with the Chien and the Chan, and eastward still with the I. Then on the northeast it entered the Ho.

3. Thus, throughout the nine provinces a similar order was effected: the grounds along the waters were everywhere made habitable; the hills were cleared of their superfluous wood and sacrificed to; the sources of the rivers were cleared; the marshes were well banked; and access to the capital was secured for all within the four seas.

The six magazines of material wealth were fully attended to; the different parts of the country were subjected to an exact comparison, so that contribution of revenue could be carefully adjusted according to their resources. The fields were all classified with reference to the three characters of the soil; and the revenues for the Middle Region were established.

4. He conferred lands and surnames. He said, "Let me set the example of a reverent attention to my virtue, and none will act contrary to my conduct."

Five hundred li formed the Domain of the Sovereign. From the first hundred they brought as revenue the whole plant of the grain; from the second, the ears, with a portion of the stalk; from the third, the straw, but the people had to perform various services; from the fourth, the grain in the husk; and from the fifth, the grain cleaned.

Five hundred li (beyond) constituted the Domain of the Nobles. The first hundred li was occupied by the cities and lands of the sovereign's high ministers and great officers; the second, by the principalities of the barons; and the other three hundred, by the various other princes.

Five hundred li (still beyond) formed the Peace-securing Domain. In the first three hundred, they cultivated the lessons of learning and moral duties; in the other two, they showed the energies of war and defense.

Five hundred li (remoter still) formed the Domain of Restraint. The first three hundred were occupied by the tribes of the I; the other two hundred, by criminals undergoing the lesser banishment.

Five hundred li (the most remote) constituted the Wild Domain. The first three hundred were occupied by the tribes of the Man; the other two hundred, by criminals undergoing the greater banishment.

5. On the east, reaching to the sea; on the west, extending to the moving sands; to the utmost limits of the north and south, his fame and influence filled up all within the four seas. Yu presented the dark-colored symbol of his rank, and announced the completion of his work.

Book II.- THE SPEECH AT KAN1

There was a great battle at Kan. Previous to it, the king called together the six nobles (the leaders of his six hosts), and said, “Ah! all ye who are engaged in my six hosts, I have a solemn announcement to make to you.

"The lord of Hu wildly wastes and despises the five elements that regulate the seasons, and has idly abandoned the three acknowledged commencements of the year.2 On

1 The text does not say who the king at this battle of Kan was, but the prevalent tradition has always been that he was Chi, the son and successor of Yu. Kan is taken as the name of a place in the southern border of the principality of Hu, with the lord of which Chi fought. The name of Hu itself still remains in the district so called of the department Hsi-an, in Shen-hsi.

2 The crimes of the lord of Hu are here very obscurely stated. With regard to the second of them, we know that Hsia commenced its year

this account Heaven is about to destroy him, and bring to an end his appointment to Hu; and I am now reverently executing the punishment appointed by Heaven.

"If you (the archers), on the left,3 do not do your work on the left, it will be a disregard of my orders. If you (the spearmen), on the right,3 do not do your work on the right, it will be a disregard of my orders. If you, charioteers,3 do not observe the rules for the management of your horses, it will be a disregard of my orders. You who obey my orders shall be rewarded before the spirits of my ancestors; and you who disobey my orders shall be put to death before the altar of the spirits of the land, and I will also put to death your children."

Book III.- THE SONGS OF THE FIVE SONS 1

1. Thai Khang 2 occupied the throne like a personator of the dead. By idleness and dissipation he extinguished his

За

with the first month of spring, Shang a month earlier, and Chau about mid-winter. It was understood that every dynasty should fix a new month for the beginning of the year, and the dynasty of Chin actually carried its first month back into our November. If the lord of Hu claimed to begin the year with another month than that which Yu had fixed, he was refusing submission to the new dynasty. No doubt, the object of the expedition was to put down a dangerous rival.

3 The chariots were the principal part of an ancient Chinese army; it is long before we read of cavalry. A war-chariot generally carried three. The driver was in the center; on his left was an archer, and a spearman occupied the place on his right. They all wore mail.

1 This Book ranks in that class of the documents of the Shu which goes by the name of “Instructions." Though the form of it be poetical, the subject-matter is derived from the Lessons left by Yu for the guidance of his posterity.

2 Thai Khang succeeded to his father in 2188 B.C., and his reign continues in chronology to 2160. His character is given here as evil. Chiung, the principality of I who took the field against him, is identified with the sub-department of Te-Chau, department Chi-nan, Shantung. There is a tradition that I, at an early period of his life, was lord of a State in the present Ho-nan. This would make his movement against Thai Khang, "south of the Ho," more easy for him. The name of Thai Khang remains in the district so called of the department Chanchau, Ho-nan. There, it is said, he died, having never been able to recross the Ho.

зa The character that here as a verb governs the character signifying