Shao Kang

Also known as Si Shaokang · Du Kang

Shaokang is remembered as the Xia ruler who recovered his dynasty's throne, though the Records of the Grand Historian (Shiji) says only that he succeeded his father Xiang. The story of the restoration comes from the Zuo Commentary (Zuozhuan). There, Wu Yuan relates that Jiao, son of the usurper Han Zhuo, destroyed the Zhenguan and Zhenxun lineages and killed Xiang, whose pregnant wife escaped through a hole in a wall to her own people, the Youreng, and bore Shaokang. Grown up, he served the Youreng as chief herdsman, fled Jiao's agents to the Youyu, and became their steward; their chief Yu Si gave him two daughters and the town of Lun. Gathering the scattered Xia, he sent Nu Ai to spy on Jiao and his son Zhu to lure Jiao's brother Yi, and so destroyed Guo and Ge. Another Zuozhuan passage credits the old minister Mi with killing Han Zhuo. Xu Shen's dictionary Shuowen jiezi identifies Shaokang with Du Kang, the first maker of millet wine.