The early period of Xia Dynasty

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au>]

   The early period of Xia Dynasty

   According to the historical records, in 2297BC there was a strange 
phenomenal event happening in China. It rained and rained and
rained non-stop for a long, long time. All the rivers in the land
overflowed their banks. All the inhabited land was inundated. Houses and
farmlands were submerged by water. People and animals were drown. The
survivors fled to the highlands. The historians called it "THE DELUGE" 
which was also recorded in the bible.

   Yao Di (the legendary chief of federated tribes in ancient China)  
appointed Si Gun to be the leader in charge of dredging the rivers.
He was assisted by the leaders of all the tribes who lived there during 
that time.

   For 9 years they failed to dredge the rivers and could not ease the
flow of water to the sea. Yao Zhong-Hua, the son-in-law of Yao Di accused 
them of incompetence. Yao Di had all the leaders executed. It left with 
no one to carry on with the dredging. Yao Zhong Hua advised Yao Di to 
appoint Si Wen Ming to undertake the waterworks. Ironically the new 
leader was the son of the executed former leader Si Gun.
 
   Water started receding after 13 years of drudgery. Water in the
rivers flowed smoothly to the sea. The land started to dry up. 

   In 2205BC Yao Di abdicated and Yao Zhong-Jua was elected as the new
leader of the federated tribes. Fifty years later Yao Zhong-Hua resigned 
in favour of Si Wen Ming as the new leader. He was known as Yu Di.

According to Chinese historical records he founded the Xia Dynasty
(2205BC to 1766BC). He divided the land he ruled into 9 administrative
divisions (9 Zhous). That was why sometimes we referred to ancient China
as Jiu Zhou (Nine States). He estabilshed his capital at An Yi (present
day Xia Xian in Shanxi province). In 2201BC he invited all the leaders of
the tribes to come to Tu Shan (present day Tong Guan in Shaanxi province)
for a convention. Again in 2198BC he called all the leaders to meet him
at Hui Ji (present day Yi Chuan in Henan province). The leader of a tribe
called Fang Feng arrived late for the meeting. He had him executed.
Actually he was not a cruel man.
 
    On one occasion someone gave him a jar of wine. He drank a lot and 
was drunk. When he woke up from his drunkendness he told his officials,
    "Wine is very good. It is because of its excellent taste that in 
     future rulers would lose their kingdoms due to this execellent wine."
He banned people from making and drinking wine. He reigned for only eight 
years and died at Hui Ji in Henan province while on a inspection cum 
tour.

   Si Qi his elder son succeeded him as the leader of the Xia people. 
According to tradition the leadership was elected and not inherited from 
father. A tribe called You Hu living in the area of present day south 
of Luoyang city in Henen province rebelled against him and declared his 
leadership void. He also proclaimed his domain independence from Xia. 
Si Qi attacked this tribe. A battle was fought at Gan Yi (present day 
south of Luoyang city in Henan province). The rebellion tribe was defeated.  
Si Qi changed the rules of succession. From now on the leadership was 
inheritable. Si Qi died in 2188BC. His elder son Si Tai Kang succeeded
him as the leader. 

   Si Tai Kang was a man obsessed in hunting. One day he led his army 
out for hunting and wondered far and away from his domain. He did not 
realized that he had ventured into the land of a rival tribe called You 
Qiong (present day Tong Gu village near Luoyang city in Henan province). 
Hou Yi (the husband of Chang Er the Moon Lady: see my story) the 
leader of this tribe was furious. He cut off the road of homeward bound for 
Si Tai Kang and defeated him in a battle. Si Tai Kang fled to Zhen Xun 
(present day Gong Xian in Henen province).
  
   Hou Yi led his army and occupied the Xia capital. He installed Si 
Zhong Kang, the younger brother of Si Tai Kang as the puppet ruler of 
Xia. Si Zhong Kang died in 2146BC and his son Si Xiang became the 
new ruler of Xia. But Hou Yi dethroned him and installed himself as 
the ruler of Xia. Si Xiang fled to Zhen Guan (present day Cao Xian 
in Shandong province).

   Hou Yi entrusted military power to his army general Han Zhuo 
who later overthrew him and had him killed. General Han Zhuo married 
Hou Yi's wife (not Chang Er who had floated to the moon, but the second
wife) and the couple had two sons.
 
   In 2120BC when the two sons had grown up General Han Zhuo ordered 
them to conquered the two territories of Zhen Xun and Zhen Guan where 
the two dethroned rulers were living. Si Tai Kang had already died of 
old age long before the General Han Zhuo's sons arrived to conquer. 
However Si Xiang was still alive and he was killed in the battle by the 
two Han brothers who occupied the palace of Si Xiang. Si Xiang's pregnant
wife escaped death by clawing through a hole in the palace wall. She hid
in a village. After a few months she gave birth to a baby boy who was
named Si Shao Kang.
    
   When Si Shao Kang grew up he was aimlessly wondering around without
a home base of his own. Finally he settled down in Pu Ban (present day 
Yong Ji in Shanxi province). Yao Si the ruler of this place married his 
two daughters to Si Shao Kang and gave him a large plot of land to 
cultivate. However Si Shao Kang did not want to be a farmer for all his 
life. While he was farmer he secretly congregated the remnants of his 
father's and grandfather's followers. He planned to restore his ancestors' 
kingdom. He begot two sons.
 
   In 2079BC Si Shao Kang led his followers to battle against Han 
Zhuo. He defeated and killed Han Zhuo in a decisive battle at An Yi 
(present day Xia Xian in Shanxi province). Si Shao Kang restored the 
Xia Dynasty. He established his capital in An Yi. But one of his sons
called Long remained in Pu Ban.   
 
Semi-legendary story about Xia Dynasty.

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan.  chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au