The Documents (Shangshu) is a collection of texts purporting to transcribe speeches made by the ancient sage-kings and the kings of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, as well as their dialogues with advisers. One speech is also attributed to Lord Mu of Qin on the occasion of his army’s defeat at Yao in 627 BCE. Dating of these texts remains controversial; some may be products of the Western Zhou, while others (including many of the sage-king speeches) probably date to the Eastern Zhou or later. Yet others, from an expanded “Ancient Script” edition dating to the early fourth century CE, are now recognized as post-Han forgeries.

The “Yugong” (Tribute of Yu) is unusual among the Documents texts in containing no reported speech. Instead, it claims to describe the flood-quelling sage-king Yu’s division of his realm into nine regions or provinces (zhou), each of which paid him a tribute of local products. The last section of the text, translated here, describes an additional geographical schema of five concentric “zones of submission” (fu) extending out from the royal capital, with the inhabitants of the two outermost zones consisting of Man and Yi “barbarians” and exiles from the inner zones.

Most modern scholars consider Yu to be a mythical figure and date the “Yugong” to the late Warring States period, as it reflects Chinese geographical knowledge from that period. But pre-modern readers tended to treat the text as an accurate historical record of the sage-kings’ model of territorial administration and foreign relations. Some other Warring States texts contained different lists of names for the nine regions and the zones of submission, which were presumed to reflect institutional changes during the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties.

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From the “Yugong” (Tribute of Yu)

Extending five hundred li out [from the capital] was the suburban zone of submission (dianfu). People living one hundred li away paid taxes with both the ears and the stems of their grain. Those living two hundred li away paid just the ears. Those three hundred li away paid just the stems. Those four hundred li away paid just unhusked grains. Those five hundred li away paid just husked grains.

Extending five hundred li out [from the suburban zone of submission] was the nobles’ zone of submission (houfu). The first hundred li were the fiefs of the great ministers. The second hundred li were the domains of the lesser nobles. The next three hundred li were the domains of the higher nobles.

Extending five hundred li out [from the nobles’ zone of submission] was the peaceful zone of submission (suifu). In the first three hundred li, the people cultivated civility and learning. In the next two hundred li, they devoted themselves to military defense.

Extending five hundred li out [from the peaceful zone of submission] was the controlled zone of submission (yaofu). In the first three hundred li were the Yi. In the next two hundred li were people [from the inner zones] who had been sentenced to banishment.

Extending five hundred li out [from the controlled zone of submission] was the uncultivated zone of submission (huangfu). In the first three hundred li were the Man. In the next two hundred li were people [from the inner zones] who had been sentenced to exile.

Extending to the sea in the east and the Flowing Sands¹ in the west, [Yu’s] reputation and civilizing influence spread to the far north and the far south and to the four seas beyond.

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1. The Flowing Sands (liusha) was a mythological geographical feature in the far west, probably inspired by accounts of the Taklamakan Desert. ↩︎