The album, by an unknown artist, contains twelve illustrations depicting Yangzhou Prefecture and the eleven counties of Jiangdu, Guazhou, Yizhen, Qinxing, Gaoyou, Xinghua, Baoying, Qinzhou, Rugao, Tongzhou, and Haimen. Each illustration is followed by an essay on the history of the county depicted. Situated along the Grand Canal and close to the Yangtze River, Yangzhou had been a leading economic and cultural center and major trading port since the Tang dynasty. This work provides both textual and visual testimony to its place in history. The information in the county histories sheds light on events that are otherwise unknown from the existing historical record. One of the essays records the incident involving Japanese pirates that took place in the 33rd year of the Jiajing reign (1554). Based on the date given in the essay Tongzhou tu shuo (Illustrated history of Tongzhou), as well as the calligraphic style of the writing, the album can be dated to the Wanli period (1573-1620) of the Ming dynasty.