1. Chenzhou is in modern Hunan Province, (Yuanling County).

2. "Hou Mingzai" . This is a daring satirical barb. The "Ming" is bright, also the Dynastic name, while "zai" is that in "Prime Minister", Zaixiang. A thieving local official is used to denote the cruel and corrupt taxation policies, forced labor conscription etc of the times. (During the Wanli and later reigns in particular, when military expenditures against Hideyoshi's invasion combined with lavish and wasteful projects as a terrible burdon on all the subjects of the Ming Empire.

You: name of a river (under construction).

Gao Xin: (under construction)A woman who suffered a legendary fate similar to that of Lot's wife.

cinnabar: red mercuric sulfide compound found in nature, used in Chinese alchemy and traditional medicine.