Earthquake Records by Qin Keda

　　In January 23, 1556, an earthquake of 8 magnitudes happened in Hua County of Shanxi. Cracks appeared in the plateaus and the plains, water and sands gushed out from underground. The city walls, temples, official dwelling places and houses of common inhabitants were all destroyed. More than 830000 people were pressed flat and it was the earthquake that killed the most people in the history of China. 

Earthquake Records by Qin Keda

　　Qin Keda, a scholar who won in the highest imperial examinations, survived this earthquake, He not only recorded the complete process of the earthquake, he also got some conclusion from the earthquake. He concluded that “at the very beginning of the earthquake, people indoors should not go out immediately. Just crouch down and wait for chances. Even if the nest is collapsed, some eggs in it may still be kept intact”. Such experiences for surviving an earthquake have even maintained practical significance till now.