Yude Legend
01 · Historical Records
The Wuhan Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend is a myth reflecting Yu's control of the waters in the Yangzi river basin, current for several thousand years and known to every household. Wuhan is a megalopolis in central China, rich in water resources, with rivers and lakes interwoven, the Yangzi and its largest tributary the Han river meeting at the Tortoise hill in Hanyang, and many floods in history; the Hanyang district is the area where the legend is most concentrated and richest in Wuhan, radiating outward from the Tortoise hill.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Wuhan Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend circulates mainly in Wuhan, Hubei. Wuhan is a megalopolis in central China, rich in water resources, with rivers and lakes interwoven, called the city of a hundred lakes; the Yangzi and its largest tributary the Han river meet at the Tortoise hill in Hanyang, and there were many floods in history. The Hanyang district is the most concentrated and richest area of the legend in Wuhan, radiating outward from the Tortoise hill to the Hannan, Wuchang, Jiangxia and Caidian districts. Historically the legend was transmitted mainly orally and was recorded only after the invention of writing; through the historical materials supplemented by scholars of successive ages and the traces of Yu's water control found in archaeology and the commemorative structures added in successive ages, its historical origin may gradually be clarified. Such records as the Mozi, Jianai and the Yaodian and Yugong of the Book of Documents prove that by the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods the legend was already widely current in Wuhan. Thereafter the legend was continually enriched and entered deep into the people's hearts, encouraging people's firm confidence in struggling against floods and other natural disasters.
The Tortoise and Snake Lock the Great River
One of the core stories of the Wuhan Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend.
The Numinous Tortoise Subdues the Monster and Turns into Tortoise Hill
One of the core stories of the Wuhan Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend.
Kublai Khan Names the Yu-Gong Rock
A legend of later generations connected with Yu's water control derived from the core stories.
The Yu-Gong Rock
A relic at the Tortoise hill in Hanyang connected with the Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The Wuhan Great Yu Controlling the Waters legend is a myth reflecting Yu's control of the waters in the Yangzi basin, current for several thousand years and known to every household. Its content may be divided into two kinds: one the water-control stories of Yu and his son, the other legends of later generations connected with Yu's water control gradually derived from the core stories.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Yude Legend · Yude Legend.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
The project relies mainly on social transmission, its present practice falling into three kinds: first, transmitters telling it in the community; second, transmitters telling it to tourists, the staff of the Wuhan Great Yu Culture Museum often explaining the legend free to visitors; third, transmitters telling it to students, promoting the spirit of Yu's water control. Its forms of expression are varied, embodying such naive dialectical ideas as respecting nature, following nature and guiding according to circumstances and the tenacious national spirit, with positive significance for studying pre-Qin culture, especially Chu culture, and the history of Wuhan's urban development, for building a harmonious society and for carrying forward Chinese virtues, and with relatively high historical, cultural and social value.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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