Li Wei

Li Wei (simplified Chinese: 李卫; traditional Chinese: 李衛; pinyin: Lǐ Wèi; Styled Youjie (又玠), posthumous name Minda (敏達); February 2, 1687 – December 3, 1738) was a prominent mandarin who lived during the reign of the Yongzheng Emperor (1722–1735) of the Qing Dynasty. He was instrumental in carrying out Yongzheng's nationwide reforms in his role in various regional governing positions.

Biography

Li was a native of Tongshan, Jiangnan (present-day Feng County, Jiangsu), and was orphaned at the age of 10. He was not literate, but excelled at martial arts. He entered the Board of Finance as a regular accountant in 1719, then headed a department on the board. He then joined the staff of Prince Yong (the later Yongzheng Emperor). After Yongzheng ascended the throne, Li Wei was named the Governor of Zhejiang in 1727, where he carried out one of Yongzheng's signature policies of taxation reform: transitioning from an individual "head tax" to a land tax. The reform was unpopular with local landowners because it increased their share of taxation owed to the state compared against those owed by landless peasants.

In 1729, in a swift act, Li Wei led the efforts to stamp out Ming Dynasty-loyalists present in the Nanjing area. He was appointed the Viceroy of Zhili, one of the most important viceroy positions in the country overseeing the area immediately outside of Beijing (somewhat analogous to present-day Hebei), in 1732.

Along with Tian Wenjing and Manchu Ortai, Li was one of the Yongzheng Emperor's most trusted officials. In September 1738, while visiting Qinling tombs with the Qianlong Emperor, Li Wei fell ill with a lung infection, and died at the age of 52. The Qianlong Emperor commemorated Li with high honours.

Li had five sons, all of whom served in the imperial service.

Popular culture

Several TV series are based, albeit very loosely, on the life of Li Wei. The 1998 hit TV series Yongzheng Dynasty (Chinese: 雍正王朝) depicted Li Wei as a loyal but somewhat devious servant of Yongzheng, who eventually gets promoted to progressively higher positions. In 2000, some members of the cast of Yongzheng Dynasty reunited to produce Li Wei the Magistrate starring Xu Zheng as Li. It was highly popular, and was followed by Li Wei the Magistrate II in 2004, also starring Xu, and Li Wei Resigns from Office in 2005, starring Paul Chun as Li. The portrayal of Li Wei as a domestic servant of Yongzheng is largely fictional, as he served in various official roles prior to joining the Prince Yong's staff in the waning years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.