els . ▁The ▁M ing ▁real m ▁was ▁also ▁suffering ▁from ▁natural ▁dis aster s ▁in ▁Sh a an xi , ▁Sh an xi ▁and ▁Hen an . ▁In ▁ 1 6 2 7 ▁w ides p read ▁dr ought ▁in ▁Sh a an xi ▁resulted ▁in ▁mass ▁star v ation ▁as ▁har v ests ▁failed ▁and ▁people ▁turned ▁to ▁can n ib al ism . ▁Natural ▁dis aster s ▁in ▁Sh a an xi ▁were ▁not ▁unusual , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁ 6 0 ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁M ing , ▁there ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁single ▁year ▁in ▁which ▁Sh a an xi ▁did ▁not ▁experience ▁a ▁natural ▁dis aster . ▁The ▁entire ▁region ▁was ▁a ▁natural ▁dis aster ▁zone . ▁Sh an xi ▁too ▁suffered ▁from ▁wind st orm s , ▁earth qu akes , ▁and ▁fam ines . ▁In ▁the ▁south , ▁Hen an ▁also ▁experienced ▁star v ation ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁said ▁that ▁" gra ins ▁of ▁rice ▁became ▁as ▁pre cious ▁as ▁p ear ls ." ▁Ch ong z hen ' s ▁pet ty ▁and ▁mer cur ial ▁ways ▁ex ac erb ated ▁the ▁situation ▁by ▁constantly ▁switching ▁grand ▁secret aries , ▁which ▁prevent ed ▁a ▁coh er ent ▁government ▁response ▁from ▁co ales cing . ▁Ch ong z hen ' s ▁reign ▁alone ▁saw ▁around ▁ 5 0 ▁grand ▁secret aries ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁post , ▁representing ▁two ▁third s ▁of ▁all ▁hold ers ▁of ▁that ▁post ▁throughout ▁the ▁entire ▁M ing ▁dynast y . ▁ ▁To