The New Book of Swindles is more than a simple record of trickery. It is also a profound exposé of the Ming dynasty's dark and ugly side, vividly portraying human wickedness and greed. Not only does it offer a sharp critique of society at the time, it also broke new ground by opening up an entirely new genre of fiction about fraud. It provides invaluable material for later generations studying scams in ancient society, while serving as a constant warning to stay alert and avoid falling into a con artist's trap.
