The Explanation of Yu Gong (禹貢錐指), is a book that studies Yu Gong (The Tribute of Yu), written by the early Qing dynasty scholar and geographer Hu Wei, consisting of twenty volumes.

Since the Han Dynasty, the study of Yu Gong has become a specialized field. Scholars such as Zheng Xuan, Ma Rong, Wang Su, Kong Yingda, and Cai Shen have made countless annotations and commentaries. During the Song Dynasty, Mao Huang wrote Guide to Yu Gong (禹貢指南), and Cheng Dachang authored Discussions on Yu Gong (禹貢論) and Geographical Maps of the Mountains and Rivers in Yu Gong (禹貢山川地理图). In the Ming Dynasty, geographer Xu Xiake wrote an essay titled Examination of the Source of the Yangtze River (江源考), refuting the notion that the Min Mountains are the source of the Yangtze and proposing that the Jinsha River is the true source. Hu Wei was proficient in cartography and provided precise explanations of Yu Gong. He believed that many errors existed in the annotations of Shang Shu (The Book of Documents) · Yu Gong Chapter (禹貢篇) by scholars throughout history and resolved to write a specialized book on Yu Gong.

In the winter of Kangxi 28th year (1689), Hu Wei participated in the compilation of Da Qing Yi Tong Zhi (大清一统志) on Dongting Mountain, where he engaged in discussions with geographers such as Wuxi's Gu Zuyu and Changshu's Huang Yi. During this period, he copied a large amount of material to prepare for writing The Explanation of Yu Gong. In the seventh month of Kangxi 33rd year, after the death of Xu Qianxue, the editorial office dispersed, and Hu Wei returned home to write in seclusion. In Kangxi 42nd year (1703), he completed the twenty-volume The Explanation of Yu Gong, which became a comprehensive work on the study of Yu Gong.

The title The Explanation of Yu Gong is derived from Zhuangzi (莊子) · Autumn Waters Chapter (秋水篇), which says "to observe the sky through a tube, to point at the earth with a cone." In Kangxi 42nd year, when Emperor Shengzu toured the south, Hu Wei presented an essay titled Praise for Completion (平成頌) along with The Explanation of Yu Gong. The emperor greatly appreciated it and inscribed "Aged and Diligent in Learning" on a plaque to commend him.

However, the book also contains errors. Hu Wei criticized Xu Xiake's Examination of the Source of the Yangtzee River, stating that he "may not have personally traveled there, relying only on his good running skills to make grandiose claims and deceive people. He is not only uneducated but also lacks knowledge."

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《禹貢錐指》，研究禹貢的書籍，清初經學家、地理學家胡渭撰，凡二十卷。

自漢代起，研究《禹貢》已成為專門的學問，鄭玄、馬融、王肅、孔潁達、蔡沈等歷代注釋、疏証者不可勝數。宋代有毛晃《禹貢指南》，程大昌《禹貢論》及《禹貢山川地理圖》。明代地理學家徐霞客寫《江源考》一文，否定「岷山導江」之說，提出長江正源為金沙江的觀點。胡渭精於輿地之學，講解《禹貢》甚精當。胡渭認為歷代以來的經學家對《尚書·禹貢篇》注釋有不少錯誤，立志寫一本《禹貢》專書。康熙二十八年（1689年）冬，胡渭參與纂修《大清一統志》於洞庭山，與精於地理之學者無錫顧祖禹、常熟黃儀等互相討論，期間鈔錄大量的資料，為撰寫《禹貢錐指》做好準備。三十三年七月，徐乾學死，書局星散，胡渭返回故鄉，閉門著述。康熙四十二年（1703年），成書二十卷，《禹貢錐指》成為研究《禹貢》的集大成之作。《禹貢錐指》之名取《莊子·秋水篇》「以管窺天，以錐指地」之意。康熙四十二年，清聖祖南巡，胡渭撰《平成頌》一篇，連同《禹貢錐指》詣獻，聖祖深嘉之，御書「耆年篤學」四大字賜之。

本書也有失誤。胡渭稱徐霞客的《江源考》不足道，說他「恐未必身歷其地。徒恃其善走，大言以欺人耳！非但不學無識也。」

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