... period. Chapter one, The Observers, begins by demonstrating the accuracy of the local historian; Feng K'o-ts'an, who compiled The Local History of T'an-ch'eng in 1673. The descriptive context of the Local History encapsulates the reader's attention to understand and literally project themselves into people's lives of the period. The records of the earthquake of 1668, the White Lotus ... sound like "hell on earth" at many points in the book. Many of the factors presented by Mr. Spence give the reader a closer look on the financial struggle of an ordinary seventeenth century farmer. In pa...

• Word Count: 1409
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School