兼差大过本职：李鸿章与“北洋大臣”的职分转换

1870年11月12日，清政府的对外官制有重大调整，三口通商大臣被裁，直隶总督李鸿章授钦差，兼理通商事务，即在直隶总督的本差之外，兼任北洋大臣，一身二任，治内御外，治所也分为保定和天津两处。此乃清朝官职前所未有的特例，预示着清朝外交的变通，复成为“北洋”概念转换的节点，并开启汉族大臣介入晚清外交的新局。北洋大臣事同创始，责任綦重，成为具有处理国家外交、国防、兵工性质的职衔，职掌范围远远超过直隶总督。李鸿章身后，“北洋”的概念又有流变与放大。

Concurrent Post Greater Than the Evolvent of theDuties of His Own Job： Li Hongzhang~s and ＂Beiyang Minister＂ Role Change

On November 12,1870, the Qing government made some major changes to its official system in relation to foreign affairs.the minister position in charge of the trade for three ports was eliminated, instead,Li Hongzhang was appointed as Beiyang minister, an imperial commissioner in charge of foreign trade, with his seat in Tianjin. Apart from this concurrent post,Li was at the same time governor of Zhili province, with his seat in Baoding. These changes were unprecedented and opened up a new stage of diplo- macy, which was more flexible and open. Beiyang minister was a newly-created post in charge of diplomacy, defense,ordnance, with a far greater responsibility than that of governor of Zhili province. After Li Hongzhang, the concept of Beiyang,which means the northern seas, continued to change and get expanded.