A cluster of still venerated temples in the Kuaiji Shan Scenic Area (Kuàijī Shān Fēngjǐng Dùjiàqū, 会稽山风景度假区) make up the Mausoleum of Yu the Great (Kuàijī Shān Dà Yǔ Líng, 会稽山大禹陵), an ancient historical (or possibly legendary) figure who is still honored today.

Believed to be a descendant of the Yellow Emperor, the legendary progenitor of Han Chinese culture, Yu is traditionally held to be the founder of the Xia Dynasty, the first Chinese dynasty. Yu's claim to fame and the reason for calling him "the Great" comes from his legendary conquering of a major flood of the Yellow River, which has periodically flooded throughout Chinese history, a fact echoed in its nicknames of both "mother river" and "China's sorrow."

He is believed to have died while touring his kingdom and was buried nearby at the site now marked by the mausoleum. Chinese leaders from the Qin emperor to former president Jiang Zimen have come to pay their respects to the legendary leader and floodtamer.

Zhejiang guide | Shaoxing guide | Shaoxing attractions
Shaoxing flights (Hangzhou) | Shaoxing hotels
Shaoxing on the China Travel Blog