Strengthen the Country and Enrich the People

Ma Jianzhong Was A Close Adviser To The Powerful Qing Government Official, Li Hong-zhang, And Wrote Several Essays Between 1878 And 1890 Outlining His Plans For Economic And Administrative Reform. He Was The First Chinese To Advocate The Creation Of A Specialized And Professional Diplomatic Corps. His Contribution To The Late Nineteenth-century Chinese Discourse On The State And The Economy Has Hitherto Been Neglected. Paul Bailey's Translation Of His Essays Will Contribute To A Wider Understanding Of The Origins And Circulation Of Reform Ideas In The Late Qing.