Exploring the Governor's Office of Zhili: A Blend of History and Culture

Exploring the Governor's Office of Zhili: A Blend of History and Culture. Zhili, the elegant name for the area that is now mostly Hebei province, once held the core status of the capital region during the Ming and Qing dynasties, covering present-day Beijing, Tianjin, most parts of Hebei, and some areas of Henan and Shandong. Baoding, the location of the Governor's Office of Zhili, undoubtedly played a pivotal role in the annals of history. Today, when we mention this city, donkey meat sandwiches may be the first thing that comes to mind, but in fact, Baoding's historical glory still shines brightly. One only needs to set foot on this land to deeply feel it. The Governor's Office, established during the Qing Dynasty, is known as 'a microcosm of half of Qing history.' It is divided into three routes: east, central, and west, with the central route being the main one. It is sequentially arranged with the main hall, secondary hall, official residence, and inner house, forming a typical ancient government office complex. Now, it has been transformed into a thematic museum, mainly displaying the culture of ancient government offices, and provides a detailed introduction to the historical knowledge of the official system, duties, and ranks. The cultural relics and utensils in the museum are mainly from the Qing Daoguang period, among which the earliest white-glazed Luohan is particularly attractive to many tourists for stamping. It is worth mentioning that during the Spring Festival, Baoding's major museums launched a stamp collection for gift exchange activity. By collecting a certain number of stamps, visitors can exchange them for exquisite gifts. Deep in the east route, in the small building that once served as the old office of the provincial government, tourists can receive a special passport for free and also stamp it there, leaving their own footprints. Among all the Governors of Zhili, Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang were undoubtedly the most outstanding. It was here that they promoted the Westernization Movement, established schools, founded translation offices, built steamships, and organized the navy. Although the course of history did not develop entirely according to their plans, the Governor's Office of Zhili undoubtedly sowed the seeds for modern China's transformation. As we look back on the tumultuous changes of modern China, the Governor's Office of Zhili is undoubtedly a historical landmark not to be missed.