The Great Yu draining the Empire (litho)

The Great Yu draining the Empire. The Great Yu founded the first Chinese empire in BC 2200. He gained his position by his engineering skill, and is said to have drained the empire from the effects of a mighty deluge by utilizing the shells of the tortoise as drain-pipes. Early writers try to identify this with Noah's flood. This Hsia Dynasty lasted for four hundred years, until it was brought to an end by the increasing degeneracy of its line of monarchs, when the climax was reached by the Emperor Chieh Kuei, whose utter wickedness brought much misery to the people, and was even said to have caused two large rivers to dry up. Illustration for Hutchinson's History of the Nations (Hutchinson, c.1920). Note: Image has been digitally enhanced to facilitate repro.