直隶总督府.doc

The Viceroy Government Office of Zhili Province A Unique Government Office The most complete and unique provincial government office of the Qing dynasty --- the Zhili Viceroy Government Office --- is well preserved in Baoding City in Hebei Province. Construction of the Zhili Viceroy Government Office commenced during the seventh year of Emperor Yongzheng’s reign (1729) in the Qing dynasty. To this day , it has a history of more than 270 years. Though it has experienced great historical changes, it retains the style and features of classical simplicity. The Zhili Viceroy Government Office was the government office of the highest military officer of Zhili Province in the Qing dynasty. The present Zhili Viceroy Government Office is essentially the same as the one built in Emperor Yongzheng’s first year in both its total area and layout. It is divided into three pathways : the east, the middle and the west. It is about 130 metres wide from the east to thewest and 220 metres deep from the south to the north. The total area is around 30,000 square metres. A Military Role The military organizations were administered by the Viceroy in Zhili Province. The soldiers were Han people. Since their flags were green, they were called Green Camp Soldiers. The Green Camp Soldiers system came from the Ming dynasty. It was established by the province to defend the capital, the surrounding districts and the provincial capital. From the time the post of Viceroy was created in Zhili in Yongzheng’s second year until the end of the Qing dynasty, 74 persons successively held the post, with a total of 99 terms served over historical period spanning 187 years. The Zhili Viceroy was the top provincial Viceroy. Especially after Li Hongzhang held the post of the minister of the coastal provinces, he , as the Zhili Viceroy, because the man holding the balance of power interior policy, diplomacy, initiating foreign affairs and carrying out reforms. The Zhili Viceroy Government Office bore historic