The decade mean temperature anomaly series was reconstructed on the basis of historical documents recorded in substantive local gazetteers. Firstly, the severity of the cold weather events such as snowing and severe frost, which were frequently described in gazetteers, was estimated by using modern instrumental temperature observations. Secondly, the assorted cold events were classified into three classes according to the severity, the severity index of them being -0.5, -1.0 and -2.0 respectively. The severity index was found for each season since 1380 AD while there were some descriptions of cold events. Finally, the regression coefficients between the decade sum of severity index and decade mean seasonal temperature anomalies was calculated. It shows that the severity index of -1 is equal to -0.2-degrees-C of the temperature anomaly. Then the decade mean seasonal temperature anomaly series was reconstructed from the 1380s (1380-1389 AD) to the 1980s. The series shows that there were two cold periods; one between the 1550s and 1690s, another during the 1800s-1860s. The lowest decade mean temperature anomaly reached -1.8-degrees-C in winter and varied from -1.1 to -1.4-degrees-C for other seasons. In spring and summer series, the first cold period was manifested well. In autumn the second cold period was prominent. But in winter both the first and the second cold periods were clearly observed. The timing of the cold periods found in the present paper was earlier by 70 and 40 years respectively than that found by Chu Kochen (1973), which was mainly based on winter temperature documents in South China. It suggests that the timing of the cold period in the Little Ice Age varied from place to place even within the Chinese territory.
