This is page 52 in Kaifeng Memorial Book of the Dead. Unlike other pages, it contains a information with a time dimension: above the names is the character for flood.
It is located on one of Gao clan pages with different hand than the rest of the book, and appears to be an addition to the original work. What could this scenario be? Perhaps someone from that clan wanted to add people who had died during the Flood of 1642, and were not included in the Memorial Book. It is difficult to imagine another circumstance. The hurried writing betrays emotion.
We will examine this fascinating book at another time. Some outstanding questions: Why was it written? How long was this record kept? How recent and how far back are the entries?
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