Traditional Chinese 直隸總督 Hanyu Pinyin | Simplified Chinese 直隶总督 Wade–Giles Chih-li Tsung-tu | |
Traditional Chinese 總督直隸等處地方，提督軍務、糧餉、管理河道兼巡撫事 Simplified Chinese 总督直隶等处地方，提督军务、粮饷、管理河道兼巡抚事 | ||
The Viceroy of Zhili, fully referred to in Chinese as the Governor-General of Zhili and Surrounding Areas Overseeing Military Affairs and Food Production, Manager of Waterways, Director of Civil Affairs, was one of eight regional Viceroys in China proper during the Qing dynasty. The Viceroy of Zhili was an important post because the province of Zhili, which literally means "directly ruled", was the area surrounding the imperial capital, Beijing. The administrative centre was in Tianjin even though the provincial capital was in Baoding. The Viceroy's duties and responsibilities have never been defined entirely. Generally speaking, the Viceroy oversaw the military and civil affairs of Zhili, Shandong and Henan provinces. The Viceroy of Zhili was also highly influential in imperial court politics.
History
The office was first created on 30 September 1649 during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor, but was later abolished on 1 June 1658. On 23 November 1661, during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the office was recreated but abolished again later on 28 July 1669. After the Yongzheng Emperor restored it on 14 December 1724, the office had remained in place until the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1912.
From 1870 onwards, the Viceroy of Zhili concurrently held the position of "Beiyang Trade Minister" (北洋通商大臣); cf. "Nanyang Trade Minister" (南洋通商大臣) held by the Viceroy of Liangjiang.
47 people had held the position from 1649 to 1912. Among them, the more notable ones included Li Wei, Tang Zhiyu, Fang Guancheng, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Ronglu and Yuan Shikai. Li Hongzhang, in particular, held the office for about 25 years in total during the height of his political career.