After several days of careful probing, I learned that this was the Ming Dynasty, an era known for its emphasis on the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as the Eight-legged Essay. It's a truly depressing realization; I can only look up at the sky at 45 degrees and feel deep introspection. Such a perfect match...,A group of rambunctious kids ran down the hill, yelling and shouting. They were afraid of getting home late and being punished by their elders.,This is no exaggeration. Old Wang, the village elder, was forcibly fed a bowl of water made from burnt paper talismans after talking in his sleep for several nights; Wang Ermazi, who learned to speak Hokkien in the county town, was tied to a pillar and sun-baked for three days after returning to the village and uttering just a few phrases. He was believed to be possessed by a ghost.。