Bao Shichen

Under the Qing administration, Bao made numerous important suggestions regarding the areas of military affairs, laws and politics, the grain tribute system, the salt monopoly, and the improvement of agricultural practice.

[1] While taking care of his father by himself, Bao rented a land to farm, acquiring food this way, and sold vegetables and fruits for money.

[1] Throughout his life, Bao had experienced thirteen failures to pass the highest level of the civil service examination, and therefore did not obtain a formal official position until his late years with the help of friends.

[2] Bao Shichen was a leading figure in jinshi--"statecraft" scholarship, an informal movement of Confucians that published tracts on real problems facing 19th century China.

[3] In 1801, Bao wrote an essay Shuochu (说储, On Wealth) to list his ambitious thoughts on the reforms that could help Qing empire to regain its political power and became prosperous again.

[1] He advocated large scale institutional reforms, such as getting rid of the Grand Council to improve administrational efficiency, allowing the court to consult the literati, giving farmers low gentry degrees based on their agricultural technique, and reconsolidating the baojia (保甲) system.