This book is the extract of the diary kept by Mrs. Minister, Elisabeth von Heyking when she was in China(1896-1899). Under the background of the German military invasion to Jiaozhou Bay and the Reform Movement , this book describes the Chinese social environment and status then in detail. With the chapters in chronological order, it introduces Elisabeth's life as the wife of Minister in Beijing, Wuchang and so on, and various figures at that time. The author, from her female perspective and with fine words, represents the internal and external troubles of China in late Qing Dynasty and the wracked status of the nation that was legged behind, for which the book is considered to be of historical and literary value.