Yao and Shun's Stories in Hongtong
County, Shanxi Province
Shanxi, one of China's northern provinces, is renowned for its long history, old temples, and rich coal resources. Hongtong is a county in the prefecture-level city of Linfen, in the southwestern part of the province. Currently, Hongtong is the most populated county in the city of Linfen, occupying an area of 1,563 square kilometers, with a population of 733,421 in 2010.² It has nine towns (zhen 镇) and seven townships (xiang 乡), including 463 villagers' committees that govern 902 natural villages (Zhang and Wang et al. 2005). Hongtong is well-known for its former status as an immigration transfer center during the Ming dynasty.
“I do not comprehend the meaning of the word. But this I can say, that if he ever was a beau before he married, he is one still, for there is not the smallest alteration in him.”
“Oh! dear! one never thinks of married mens’ being beaux—they have something else to do.”
[T]he Months of March and September, the tvvo Æquinoxes of Our year, are the moſt vvindy and tempeſtuous, the moſt unſettled and unequable of Seaſons in moſt Countries of the VVorld.
