It is a well-known fact in history that corruption and selling official posts were prevalent in the late Qing Dynasty. Li Xingrui, a shogunate cadre of Zeng Guofan, recorded in detail in his diary his experience of "running for office" in the capital of the late Qing Dynasty, vividly showing the true face of the political ecology of the late Qing Dynasty. Using Li Xingrui's experience as a clue, the article describes his official career in Baoding, Beijing, and Jinling, and shows the complex phenomena of official corruption, power trading, and interpersonal relations in the late Qing Dynasty. First, the article recalls Li Xingrui's experience when the Taiping Army attacked Changsha, he organized the villagers to set up regimental training, and helped suppress the local gang uprising. This experience shows the complex relationship between local forces and the government in the late Qing Dynasty, and the role of officials in maintaining local stability.
The article then describes Li Xingrui's combat experience against the Taiping Army's invasion of Hunan, and he assisted the Hunan Governor Luo Bingzhang in commanding the army, successfully blocking the Taiping Army east of Liuyang. This section shows the fierce confrontation between the officials and the Taiping army in the late Qing Dynasty, as well as Li Xingrui's important contributions as a staff member. The article then describes Li Xingrui's run for office in Beijing. He used money and connections to dredge up doors, visit fellow villagers and friends, and gain his own interests in officialdom. This section shows the true details of official corruption in the late Qing Dynasty, revealing the exchange of interests and the operation of power among officials. Next, the article introduces Li Xingrui's introduction process in Beijing.
Through various channels, he successfully introduced the emperor and the empress dowager, and finally obtained the position of prefect of the daimyofu. This section shows the procedure for promoting officials in the late Qing Dynasty and the importance that the emperor attached to local administration, as well as Li Xingrui's wit and ability. The article then recounts Li Xingrui's activities during his time in Beijing, where he visited fellow officials and friends to raise funds and prepare for his post. This section re-emphasizes the importance of relationships and money in officialdom, while also showcasing Li Xingrui's connections and influence. Finally, the article describes Li Xingrui's official career in Jinling. Under Zeng Guofan's arrangement, he inspected the officials and troops in the Liangjiang region and managed the machinery manufacturing bureau in Shanghai.
This section shows Li Xingrui's promotion and achievements in the officialdom, as well as the abilities and opportunities of officials in the late Qing Dynasty. To sum up, Li Xingrui's official experience vividly demonstrates the corruption and complexity of the political ecology of the late Qing Dynasty. He achieved certain achievements in officialdom through running for office, visiting and exchanging benefits. However, it also highlights the unfairness and corruption of officialdom in the late Qing Dynasty. Although Li Xingrui used his ability and resourcefulness to achieve success, this could not hide the confusion and problems of the late Qing officialdom. For today's society, we should learn from the lessons of corruption in late Qing officialdom. The government should strengthen supervision and management, crack down on official corruption, and build a clean political environment.
At the same time, all sectors of society should also strengthen supervision and participation in the operation of power to promote the transparency and responsibility of the government. Only in this way can we build a just and clean society. Finally, I would like to ask a question, how do you think official corruption can be prevented? Please leave your opinion in the comments.