价值流图（VSM)的起源
价值流与大禹治水
Value Steam & King Yu Harnesses the Flood
在上古时代的某一时期，由于天降大雨，导致江河暴涨。洪水引发了地震、山崩以及山崖的大规模滑坡，致使许多江河故道堵塞而洪水泛滥。鲧奉命治水，他单纯采 用筑堤防水的办法，结果使水路不通，引致了新的山崩或滑坡，使得洪水灾害更加严重。鲧因治水失败而死。死后其子禹继承了他的事业。禹以十三年的时间，考察 水路，疏浚水道，修筑堤坝，终于排干了许多地方的积水，引导开挖了使长江黄河顺利东行的新水道。
禹下决心要治理洪水。他吃尽了千辛万苦，走遍了千山万水，仔细地察看水流和地形。他带领老百姓挖通了九条大河，劈开了九座大山，引导洪水流入了大海。——<语文>小学二年级
左准绳，右规矩，载四时，以开九州，通九道，陂九泽，度九山。——《史记.夏本纪》
Accordingto legend, the Yellow River flooded during the reign of Emperor Yao, and the people were forced to abandon their villages, and go to live in trees or on mountaintops. The flood brought great misery to the people. Emperor Yao, the chieftain of the 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 taming the floods, 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 “King Yu" . Around 2070 BC, Yu established the Xia Dynasty, the first dynasty in Chinese history.
《精益思想》在定义了价值观之后就考虑价值流分析及改善。。但是追溯起源，首先从King Yu Harnesses the Flood开始。
禹下决心要治理洪水。他吃尽了千辛万苦，走遍了千山万水，仔细地察看水流和地形。他带领老百姓挖通了九条大河，劈开了九座大山，引导洪水流入了大海。——<语文>小学二年级
（想想中国二年级小学生就可以给詹姆斯 P.沃麦克教授上课了，够自豪了吧？哈哈）
大禹治水，目的是引导江河遵循九州百姓生存发展的价值观流动，消除了水灾。并由此建立了威望，统一了九州，建立了中华历史上的首个政权。
所以啊，在你单位做好精益改善，你就是你单位的无冕之王！
河图与价值流图
Value Steam Map & Hetu
大禹所持三宝之一“河图”，
即为我华夏第一张价值流图。
Hetu, the ancient artifact of King Yu,is the first current
Value Steam Map of our country . To lead the rivers maked value flow.
价值流的最高境界——“兵无常势，水无常形”。出自《孙子兵法·虚实篇》
the Great ultimate of value steam—— the soldiers ( operators ) have no certainty work, because the water (the value steam) can be always changed.
It from <Master Sun's Art of War>
善战者，其势险，其节短——出自《孙子兵法·兵势篇》
Therefore the good fighter will be powerful in his layout, and prompt in his takt-time.
定海神针
MONKEY KING BAR
大禹所持 神器“定海神针”，则是为了测定江海深度的量尺。就好比设定价值流的标准在制品库存。
Dinghaishenzhen ( MONKEY KING BAR), the ancient artifact of King Yu, is the scale to measure the depth of the rivers and sea . Just like we setting standard WIP inventory of the value flow.