Between 1638 and 1640, severe drought struck northern China during the transition from the Ming to the Qing dynasty, leading to widespread crop failures and famine. This environmental crisis exacerbated social tensions and contributed to the decline of the Ming dynasty, highlighting the vulnerability of agrarian societies to climatic changes. The drought and its consequences played a significant role in shaping the political landscape of China during this tumultuous period.

The drought and famine in China from 1638 to 1640 amplified poetic laments on dynastic decline and human suffering in late Ming and early Qing literature. Poets used their verses to express grief and critique the socio-political conditions of their time, intertwining personal and collective experiences.