Discuss women's rights. In modern society, women have the right to divorce, and not to be punished by their husbands. These rights are not held by Chinese women in the 1670s. What rights do Chinese women in T'an-ch'eng have?

Discuss the rule of law. The rule of law is often considered a basic requirement of a civilized society. In T'an-ch'eng, at least on paper, there is the rule of law. Does this law operate in a fair manner in reality?

Discuss poverty. Poverty in T'an-ch'eng has many causes. Earthquakes occur, rivers flood, locusts eat crops, there are wars and there are famines. Are these factors controllable and is there a reasonable effort to control them? Are there attempts by government officials and the wealthy to control the spread of poverty?

The Chinese Legal Code is very strict in the control of social relations and...