According to a Chinese legend, a devastating Yellow River flood “forced people from their homes and washed away farmland, leading to famine.”
An article in Live Science goes on to say:
“Emperor Yu is said to have tamed the floodwaters by dredging the river bed. The heroic emperor went on to establish the Xia Dynasty, the first in Chinese history.”
The story has a dragon that helped the emperor to get rid of the excess water.
Researchers are beginning to think that the legend might reflect a true historical catastrophe. Live Science continues:
“Now, a team of scientists has provided geological evidence for a disastrous flood that occurred around 1920 B.C., which could be the origin of the legend. The research, published today (Aug. 4) in the journal Science, reconstructed ancient events along the Yellow River — including an earthquake, a landslide and a dam burst — that led to a catastrophic flood.”