Yao was the first human emperor to rule China and he was the wisest, most compassionate ruler that has ever existed. He himself led the simplest of lives, with no luxuries of any kind. He put all his efforts into caring for his people. Yet he was the most unfortunate of emperors. In his reign came the great drought, when ten suns shone simultaneously in the sky. Then, just as the land was recovering, a disastrous flood almost destroyed it again. The flood came because Tiandi, the High God in Heaven, looked down upon the humans and their wicked ways and, regardless of the suffering of many innocent people, sent the God of Water to drown their fields and homes. Many of the gods felt sorry for mankind, among them a white heavenly horse by the name of Gun. Gun seemed more affected than the other gods and when he had pleaded in vain with Tiandi, he went about Heaven in great sadness. One day he met two friends, an owl and a tortoise. Seeing him so downcast and desolate, they asked him what the matter was. 'The earth below is flooded,' Gun replied, 'and there is nothing I can do to save it.' 'To stop a flood on earth is not such a difficult task!' replied the owl. 'What you want is a precious substance called a Shirang. It looks like nothing more than a clod of earth but it is actually very magical indeed. If you can manage to get even a small quantity you will be able to quell any flood. The Shirang will swell up to enormous size as soon as it touches water and nothing can penetrate it. But of course it is carefully hidden and even guarded.' Gun made careful enquiries and before long he managed to find out where the magic clay was kept. He stole a few handfuls, carried it carefully down to earth and in no time had built a great, impenetrable dam against the flood water. The joy and gratitude of the people was enough to recompense him for all his efforts but the High God Tiandi was not so pleased. In fact he was furiously angry and sent the Fire God to earth to kill Gun and remove the magic clay. Once more flood water covered the land. Because Gun had not yet finished his work his spirit did not die. Instead a son grew inside him to complete his father's task. For three years the people watched over Gun's body until the son, whose name was Yu, was ready to emerge. Once again the High God Tiandi was angry and he sent a god to kill this new threat to his plans. The god struck at Gun's body with a sword-but instead of killing the child he released him and, in the shape of a mighty dragon, Yu entered the world. The fierce appearance of the dragon and the determination that had shaped him softened Tiandi's heart and he agrccd to allow him to recall the flood. Yu's task was not an easy one, for the Water God, Gonggong, who had been given the freedom of the land', was not willing to be recalled without a fight and he ignored all Yu's commands. Yu fought and defeated him. Then he gave all the people pieces of the magic clay to build another great dam and hold the waters back. He knew, however, that this was not a permanent solution and he next set the people to work digging a path for the water so that it could flow away harmlessly into the sea. Resuming his dragon shape, he ploughed a furrow with his tail and showed the people how to dig it into deep channels. The flood water that flowed away through these channels to the sea formed the great rivers of China. Yu was thirty years old before he had time to pause in his work and think about marriage. Not knowing how to choose a wife, he waited for a sign, which soon came in the shape of a white fox with nine tails. The fox led him to a girl who lived on nearby Mount Tu where the marriage contract was made and Yu and his new wife began to live happily together.

Yu's wife, however, never knew that her husband was a god and some months later when she was expecting her first child her ignorance caused a tragic accident. Yu was still busy controlling water and one day he changed himself into a bear in order to dig a tunnel for water to run through a hill. His wife saw him in his bear form and ran away in terror. When he followed her to explain she only ran faster and faster until at last she dropped down exhausted and was turned into a stone. Horrified, Yu rushed up to the stone and knocking on it called out loudly: 'Give me my son!' The stone burst open and Yu's son Chi was born. With his son to help him Yu continued his task of taming the waters and killing the monsters that had appeared during the time of the flood. In his old age he was elected emperor to succeed Yao's heir and ruled over the land wisely until his death.