It is said that after Emperor Huangdi there appeared three famous tribal leaders: Yao, Shun and Yu. According to legend, Yellow River flooded during the reign of Emperor Yao, and the people were forced to abandon their villages, and went to live on trees or on mountain-tops. The flood brought great misery to the people. Emperor Yao, the chieftain of Yan-Huang tribal alliance, appointed Gun to harness the flood. Gun built dikes to keep back the water, but failed. Shun, who succeeded Yao, killed Gun, and appointed Gun's son Yu to continue with the flood-harnessing work. Yu adopted the dredging method to lead the flood waters to flow along river courses into the sea. Yu worked very hard. It was said that during the 13 years, he spent on taming the flood, he passed his home three times, but did not enter until his task was completed. As a result of his successful efforts, the people bestowed on him the title Yu the Great and Sun chose Yu as his successor, with the approval of the tribal chieftains.

Following the taming of the floods, vegetation and wild beasts grew rampant, threatening the survival of the people. Yu taught his subjects the art of agricuture, and thus how to dominate the land and feed themselves in a regular and organized way. He also repelled invasions by the Miao tribe, and consolidated the Huaxia people's supremacy in the Central Plains.

Around 2070 BC, Yu established Xia Dynasty, the first dynasty in Chinese history. After Yu's death, his son Qi succeeded to the throne. Crushing an attempt to overthrow him by Youhu clan, Qi established the system of hereditary rulers instead of abdicating the throne to another person.

Xia Dynasty lasted 471 years with 17 empires from Yu to Jie. The calendar of Xia fit well for the agricultural production, so it was used for a long time. They also cast bronze cooking vessels, which called "Ding", by imitation the image of animal. Thus China shifted from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age. Its last king Jie, vilified in the ancient records as a tyrant, was overthrown by the leader of Shang kingdom along the lower reaches of Yellow River in about 1,600 BC.