The Qing Dynasty was the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history and a multi-ethnic power. In order to effectively manage the vast territory and large population, the Qing Dynasty set up eleven governors throughout the country, each responsible for military and political affairs in different regions. Among them, except for the governor of Caoyun and the governor of Hedao, the remaining nine governors were local governors with real power, known as the nine governors of the Qing Dynasty.
They are:
Governor of the three eastern provinces
It has jurisdiction over the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang, and is the birthplace and base of the Manchus. The governors of the three eastern provinces were established relatively late, and were officially established at the end of the Qing Dynasty, and they were all called General Shengjing before. The governors of the three eastern provinces held high positions, and Xu Shichang, Xiliang, Zhao Ersun and others all held this position.
Directly subordinate to the Governor:
It administered the province directly under its jurisdiction, equivalent to the cities of Beijing and Tianjin today, as well as parts of Hebei, Henan and Shandong. The Governor was the highest-ranking of the Nine Governors, as he was in charge of the Gyeonggi Province and the coastal defense of Beiyang. In the late Qing Dynasty, the directly subordinate governor often also served as the minister of Beiyang, equivalent to half of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai, etc. all served as directly subordinate governors.
Governor of Liangjiang:
It administered Jiangnan and Jiangxi provinces, of which Jiangnan Province is equivalent to today's Jiangsu and Anhui provinces and Shanghai. The Governor of Liangjiang was the wealthiest of the Nine Governors, as he controlled the Qing Dynasty's wealth-rich and important trade areas. During the late Qing Dynasty, the governor of Liangjiang was also in charge of the Lianghuai salt administration and the minister of trade and commerce of Nanyang, and was responsible for the trade affairs of Wukou. Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, Zhang Xun, etc. all served as governors of Liangjiang.
Governor of Liangguang:
It has jurisdiction over Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces, and is an important window for the Qing Dynasty to open up to the outside world. The Governor of Liangguang was also the more powerful of the Nine Governors, as he not only had to manage local military administration, but also deal with foreign invasion and national resistance. Lin Zexu, Ye Mingchen, and Li Hongzhang all served as governors of Liangguang.
Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang:
It has jurisdiction over Fujian, Zhejiang Province and Taiwan Island. The governor of Fujian and Zhejiang ranked in the upper middle of the nine governors because he was in charge of some economically developed and culturally prosperous regions. During the late Qing Dynasty, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang also served as the governor of Taiwan.
Governor of Huguang:
It administers Hubei and Hunan provinces, and because these two provinces belonged to Huguang Province during the Ming Dynasty, they used this name. The governor of Huguang was one of the middle ranking of the nine governors, as he was in charge of some areas with developed agriculture and handicrafts, and was also the main birthplace and battlefield of the Taiping Rebellion. Lin Zexu, Zhang Zhidong, Ruizhen and others all served as governors of Huguang.
Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu:
It administered Shaanxi and Gansu provinces and was the supreme governor of the Qing Dynasty over the northwest region. The Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu was the lowest status among the nine governors because the region he presided over was economically backward, sparsely populated, and had many ethnic conflicts. The Governor of Shaanxi and Gansu was also the most dangerous of the nine governors, as he had to face various hostile forces in the northwestern frontier, such as Dzungar, Khalkha and Hui. Zuo Zongtang, Liu Xilu, Zhao Erfeng and others all served as governors of Shaanxi and Gansu.
Governor Yungui:
It administered Yunnan and Guizhou provinces, and was the highest governor of the Qing Dynasty in the southwestern region. Governor Yungui was one of the lower status among the nine governors, because the area he was in charge of was also economically backward, sparsely populated, and had many ethnic contradictions. Governor Yungui was also one of the more dangerous of the Nine Governors, as he had to face various hostile forces in the southwestern frontier, such as Burma, Laos, and Vietnam. Du Wenxiu, Zeng Guoquan, Liu Kunyi, and others all served as governors of Yungui.
Governor of Sichuan:
He administered Sichuan Province and was the supreme governor of the Qing Dynasty over the Sichuan-Yunnan region. The Governor of Sichuan was the higher status of the Nine Governors, as he was in charge of a province with a large population, rich products, and military importance. The Governor of Sichuan was also the more powerful of the Nine Governors, as he not only had to manage local military and political affairs, but also deal with external forces such as Tibet and Burma. Zhang Zhidong, Zhao Erfeng, Zhao Ersun and others all served as governors of Sichuan.
The nine governors were the highest-ranking local governors of the Qing Dynasty, responsible for military and administrative affairs in different regions, and played an important role in maintaining the rule of the Qing Dynasty and developing the economy and culture of the Qing Dynasty. Among the nine governors, the Governor of Direct Subordination and the Governor of Yanggang had the highest status, because they were in charge of the important areas of Gyeonggi and the richly endowed areas, and were also the main initiators and promoters of the foreign affairs movement. The governors of Liangguang and Sichuan had higher status, because they were in charge of important windows open to the outside world and important provinces with large populations, and they were also the main resisters of civil revolts and foreign invasions in the late Qing Dynasty. The governors of Huguang had a medium status, as they were in charge of some provinces with developed agriculture and handicrafts, and were the main birthplace and battlefield of the Taiping Rebellion and Boxer Rebellion. The governors of Fujian and Zhejiang, Shaanxi and Gansu, and Yungui had lower status because the provinces they were in charge of were economically backward, sparsely populated, and had many ethnic contradictions, and were also the main stage for reform and revolution in the late Qing Dynasty. Among the nine governors, many famous Qing ministers appeared, such as Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong, Zuo Zongtang, etc., who played an important role in saving the survival at the end of the Qing Dynasty and witnessed the rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty.