Li Governance Chihli Provincial Matters

This thesis describes how Li hongzhang administered the affairs of Zhili province when he was the governor of this area. On the basis of these discussions, it attempts to remedy the defects in the studies of Li and analyse his behavior and influence in Zhili. It has six chapter:Chapter one briefly introduces the historical background of Li hongzhang taking up the post of Zhili governor as well as the effects which he would have on Zhili affairs as his power was strengthened.Chapter two was mainly deals with how LI hongzhang tames rivers of Zhili area. When Li became the governor of Zhili, the rivers of this area hadn't been tamed for a long time. So Li made an overall plan, which led to a climax of taming rivers and reduced the calamities of drought and flood. But Li would not fundamentally the situation of frequent floods in Zhili because of funds, bureaucracy, and ways of taming rivers.Chapter three focuses on aiding the victims of natural calamities. There were frequent calamities in Zhili and these calamities produced great damage. Li used different kinds of ways to aid the victims of natural calamities. So the social order of Zhili was generally stable. Li's power of commanding local finance was extended, which was embodied especially in raising funds and food to aid the victims.Chapter four describes building trained-army. Li not only carried on the methods of Zeng Guofan, but also reformed regulations and progressively increased trained-army according to the need of coast defense and frontier defense. Li accelerated the modernization of trained-army. But he didn't completely depend on trainer-army and the duties of trained-army were not wholly embodied in military actions.Chapter five reviews renovating Changlu-salt affairs that calamity influence seriously to ruin day by day. Li used kinds of ways to lighten merchant's pressure, resist private salt ,increase tax and repair distribution of salt. These methods couldn't succeed radically, but attained a certain extent achievement.The last chapter discusses how Li hongzhang administers the other local affairs of Zhili province. Li also made efforts on bureaucracy, long-pending cases, local public security, tax and reform-affairs etc. due to the limitation of Li's individual energy, he was unable to make programs with undivided attention. Consequently the important affairs such as these were forced to be less important affairs for Li hongzhang.