The book is created by the witness and participant of the Ti-Ping revolution in China and contains interesting historical facts and observations, including the author's personal observations and remarks. The Taiping Rebellion of 1850–64 was spread across southern China and ended in the death of around 20 million people. Augustus Frederick Lindley was an English officer who supported the rebels and actively fought for them. The author died at the age of 33, yet he completed and published the greatest anti-imperial work.