In the first month of the sixth year of Yongle (1408 A.D.), Jianchang and Fuzhou of Jiangxi province, Jianning and Shaowu of Fujian province, had reported around 78,400 deaths from an epidemic that started in the previous year (1407 A.D.). During the first half of the eighth year (1410 A.D.), over 6,000 people were reported to have died from an epidemic in various counties in Ninghai, Dengzhou (present-day Shandong). Major year-round outbreaks occured in Shaowu where 12,000 households were reported to have perished during the winter months of the same year. In the seventh month of the ninth year (1411 A.D.), outbreaks in Henan and Shaanxi were reported. In the sixth month of the eleven year (1413 A.D.), outbreaks were reported in three counties in Huzhou. In the seventh month of the same year, outbreaks were reported in five counties in Ningbo.
During the winter months in the ninth year of Zhengtong (1444 A.D.), there were major outbreaks in Shaoxing, Ningbo and Taizhou with over 30,000 deaths reported in the following year (1445 A.D.).
During the winter months in the fourth year of Jingtai (1453 A.D.), outbreaks were reported in Jianchang, Wuchang and Hanyang. In the fourth month of the sixth year (1455 A.D.), there were outbreaks in Xi'an and Pingliang. In the fifth month of the seventh year (1456 A.D.), an epidemic in Guilin claimed over 20,000 lives.
During the fourth month of the fifth year of Tianshun (1461 A.D.), an outbreak in Shaanxi was reported.
In the eighth month of the eleventh year of Chenghua (1475 A.D.), the epidemic in Fujian had spread to Jiangxi with incalculable deaths.
In the sixth month of the first year of Zhengde (1506 A.D.), an epidemic occured in four military outposts: Pingxi, Qingliang, Zhenyuan and Pianqiao of Huguang (present-day Hubei and Hunan), with innumerable deaths reported. From the seventh month to the twelth month, major outbreaks were reported in various counties in Jingzhou. Major outbreaks in Jianning and Shaowu were also reported from the eighth month of the same year. In the tenth month of the twelth year (1517 A.D.), major outbreaks were reported in Quanzhou.
In the second month of the first year of Jiajing* (1522 A.D.), major outbreaks were reported in Shaanxi. In the seventh month of the second year (1523 A.D.), major outbreaks were reported in Nanjing with innumerable deaths in the military and in the civilian population. In the ninth month of the fourth year (1525 A.D.), 4,128 deaths were reported in Shandong during an outbreak. In the fourth month of the thirty-third year (1554 A.D.), major outbreaks were reported both inside and outside of the capitol. In the first month of the forty-fourth year, (1565 A.D.), a famine amidst an outbreak occured in the capital city (Beijing).
In the fourth month of the tenth year of Wanli (1582 A.D.), an outbreak was reported in the capital city (Beijing). In the fifth month of the fifteenth year (1587 A.D.), an outbreak occured again. In the fifth month of the sixteenth year (1588 A.D.), Shandong, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Zhejiang reported major outbreaks amidst a drought.
In the sixteenth year of Chongzhen (1643 A.D.), a major outbreak occured in the capital city (Beijing) from the second month to the ninth month. During springtime in the following year (1644 A.D.), outbreaks were reported in the Northern Circuit (present-day Hebei) and Shandong.
Excerpts from The History of Ming, Scroll 28, Section 22-23
*The earthquake of 1556 A.D. in Huaxian, known in ancient times as Zheng (part of the Qin State dated to 897 B.C.), near the south bank of the Wei River in Shaanxi province, occured during the thirty-fourth year of Jiajing.
