Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879It was estimated that close to 10 million people died in the famine

The Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879 was a famine which occurred in late Qing dynasty China. It is usually referred to as Dīngwùqíhuāng (丁戊奇荒). A drought began to hit northern China in 1875. The provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei (then named Zhili (直隸)), Henan, and Shandong were hit by the following famine. It was estimated that close to 10 million people died in the famine. The drought was influenced by El Niño-Southern Oscillation.^[1] Besides the years' long drought, the failing political institution of the late Qing dynasty was also one of the causes of the famine.^[2] One of the best popular accounts is to be found in the book Late Victorian Holocausts.