The Four People's Handbook: Ten Thousand Books (新刻四民便览万书萃锦  Xīn kè sì mín biànlǎn wàn shū cuì jǐn)

The highest level of classical literacy during the Ming Dynasty of ancient China was attainable only by privileged elites who could afford the resources and time investment demanded by study. It wasn't until the late 16th century that books began showing signs of targeted marketing toward the lower classes.

"The Four People's Handbook" is a collection of popular books compiled by Zhiwu Zhao during this period in late Ming China, with "four people" referring to the Confucian hierarchy that included the scholar elite alongside farmers, artisans, and merchants. In contrast to the official books written by literati and scholars, these vernacular works meant for everyday use contained illustrations and common knowledge used in daily life, such as agriculture, astronomy, medicine, geography, persuasion, history, and arithmetic, as well as short stories designed for entertainment and moral education.

This collection became known as the "Book of Ten Thousand Treasures" for the value and convenience it provided the general public, demonstrating the impact of designing for accessibility across socioeconomic barriers.