The Viceroy of Zhili (直隸總督/直隶总督), fully referred to as the Governor General of Zhili and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Affairs, Food Production; Manager of Waterways; Director of Civil Affairs (總督直隸等處地方，提督軍務、糧餉、管理河道兼巡撫事), was one of eight viceroys of the Qing Dynasty in China. A viceroy is a royal official who governs a country or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. ... The Qing Dynasty (Chinese: 清朝; Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ching chao; Manchu: daicing gurun), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was a dynasty founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China, expanded into China and the surrounding territories, establishing the Empire of the Great Qing...

It was an important post, because the territory of Zhili (lit. directly ruled) Province, now referred to as the Hebei Province, was surrounding area of Beijing. The seat of Viceroyalty was in Tianjin, although the capital of the province was situated at Baoding. The responsibility of the position has never been defined entirely. Generally speaking, the viceroy oversaw the military and civil affairs of Zhili, Shandong and Henan Provinces. In 1870, the responsibility of the Viceroy also merged with the position of Minister of Beiyang (北洋通商大臣), and the Viceroy was usually a very important player in the Court politics of Beijing. Hebei (Chinese: 河北; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-pei; Postal System Pinyin: Hopeh) is a northern province of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; ; IPA: ), a city in northern China (formerly spelled in English as Peking or Peiking), is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... (Chinese: 天津; Pinyin: TiānjÄ«n; Postal System Pinyin: Tientsin) is one of the four municipalities of the Peoples Republic of China. ... Categories: China geography stubs | Cities in China ... Shandong (Simplified Chinese: 山东; Traditional Chinese: 山東; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Shan-tung) is a coastal province of eastern Peoples Republic of China. ... Henan (Chinese: 河南; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ho-nan), is a province of the Peoples Republic of China, located in the central part of the country. ... 1870 (MDCCCLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ...

The position was created and abolished several times. It was initially created by the Shunzhi Emperor on September 30, 1649. However, the Emperor abolished the post on June 1, 1658. The second creation of the post was on November 23, 1661, and cancelled later on July 28, 1669 by Kangxi Emperor. The third creation was taken place on December 14, 1724, during the second year of Yongzheng Emperor's reign, and lasted out till the fall of the Qing Dynasty. The Shunzhi Emperor (March 15, 1638–February 5, 1661?) was the second emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper from 1644 to 1661. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... // Events January 30 - King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland is beheaded. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... Events January 13 - Edward Sexby, who had plotted against Oliver Cromwell, dies in Tower of London February 6 - Swedish troops of Charles X Gustav of Sweden cross The Great Belt (Storebælt) in Denmark over frozen sea May 1 - Publication of Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial and The Garden of Cyrus by... November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ... Events January 6 - The fifth monarchy men unsuccessfully attempt to seize control of London. ... July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... // Events Samuel Pepys stopped writing his diary. ... The Kangxi Emperor (May 4, 1654 – December 20, 1722) was the fourth Emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over all of China, from 1661 to 1722. ... December 14 is the 348th day of the year (349th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events January 14 - King Philip V of Spain abdicates the throne February 20 - The premiere of Giulio Cesare, an Italian opera by George Frideric Handel, takes place in London June 23 - Treaty of Constantinople signed. ... The Yongzheng Emperor (born Yinzhen 胤禛) (December 13, 1678 - October 8, 1735) was the fourth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the third Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1722 to 1735. ...

Since the creation of the position in 1649 to 1912, 81 people had held the position. Some eminent individuals included Li Wei, Tang Zhiyu, Fang Guancheng, Zeng Guofan, and Yuan Shikai. Late Qing diplomat, general, and politician Li Hongzhang occupied the position for a period of 25 years in total, during the height of his political career. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... General Zeng Guofan Marquess Zēng Guófán, (t. ... Yuan Shikai in military uniform Yuan Shikai (Courtesy Weiting 慰亭; Pseudonym: Rongan 容庵 Traditional Chinese: 袁世凱; Simplified Chinese: 袁世凯; Hanyu Pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yüan Shih-kai) (September 16, 1859 – June 5, 1916) was a Chinese military official and politician during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. ... Li Hongzhang (February 15, 1823 – November 7, 1901) was a Chinese general who ended several major rebellions, and a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire. ...

References

• 神州学人 Magazine article on the Viceroy of Zhili (Chinese)