Yu, was is said to have lived in the 21st century BC, is the earliest recorded historical figure associated with Shaoxing. In his time, a great flood is believed to have inundated the central plains. After his father failed to control the floods through dikes built to contain the waters, Yu was ordered by King Shun to succeed his father. Instead of following in the footsteps of his father by building more dikes, Yu made local dukes and commoners produce some channels and engage in other projects to drain the floodwaters into the sea. It is said that Yu was so dedicated to his work that during his eight years away from home he passed by his home three times but did not stop. After eight years of hard work, the floods were finally brought under control.

According to records, Yu came to Shaoxing twice in his lifetime. The first time was when he came to control floods and met with dukes of the flooded areas on a mountain called Maoshan in Shaoxing to discuss the local problems. After the meetings, Maoshan was renamed Mount Guiji, meaning, "meet to talk about important matters." Yu came to Shaoxing a second time on an inspection tour after founding the legendary Xia Dynasty. Yu became the first king of this dynasty and died in Shaoxing. He was buried at the foot of Guiji.

Da Yu Mausoleum faces west, with a stone archway at its entrance. A 30-meter paved path starting at the entrance leads to a pavilion containing a large stone tablet with the three characters that mean "Da Yu Mausoleum." The Yu Wang Temple northwest of the tomb is a magnificent building. On its central axis from south to north is the meridian gate, Memorial Hall and Main Hall, standing higher along the line of the mountain. Stone steps lead into the beautifully decorated Main Hall with carved beams and painted rafters. A five-meter statue of Da Yu stands in the center of the hall.

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