The True Account of the People’s Raid on Dong Huan

The People's Record of the Facts Concerning Eunuch Dong is a collection of historical notes by an anonymous Ming dynasty author. It belongs to the body of Ming-era folk documents and historical materials. The book recounts the actions and consequences of a key figure, Eunuch Dong, and his son, recording popular criticism, stories, and related facts about them. It reflects conflicts between certain social groups, officials, and ordinary people in Ming society, offering a distinctive picture of officialdom intertwined with public opinion. Rather than an official history, it focuses on accounts from a popular perspective and is a valuable resource for understanding social developments and public attitudes in the Ming dynasty.

The work's style is similar to historical notes and miscellanies, and its accounts mainly present the facts, often describing specific details of people's conduct and the public reaction. Judging from the surviving excerpts, Eunuch Dong and his son were widely reviled for exploiting and oppressing the people. Many passages describe their misdeeds and popular protests. These records reflect the author's concern about social injustice as well as popular criticism and resentment over the abuse of eunuch power in the Ming dynasty. Though brief, the work has a strong sense of reality and a sharply critical edge, making it a rare source for studying Ming society and culture at the grassroots level.

As a historical document, The People's Record of the Facts Concerning Eunuch Dong offers unique value for research into Ming social structures, relations between officials and the people, and the expression of public opinion. Readers interested in the social and cultural history of ancient China will find in it a window onto history from a popular perspective. It fills gaps in official accounts and gives the texture of history greater depth.