Served as examiner and educational director successively in several provinces, Zhang Zhidong (Chang Chihtung, 18371909), Tanhua (探花), the third highest ranked in the palacelevel examination, became a pioneer in the Qingliu Dang ( 清流Purification Clique, group of conservative Chinese officials who advocated a return to traditional Confucian moral principles) after returning to the capital. In 1882, he was transferred as the governor of Shanxi, starting his career as a provincial official. In his memorial to express thanks to the throne at the beginning of his tenure in Shanxi, he stated, “I never forget to manage the territory of Ba Biao (八表the whole country),” which exposed him to much ridicule and satire. At the negotiations during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), he was reproved by Li Hongzhang (李鸿章1823-1901) for his persistent “bookishness” (“propensity of a scholar”). When Zhang heard this, he was furious, and ridiculed Li back on his “propensity of Lord Zhongtang (Prime Minister).” Even after the mediations by Liu Kunyi (刘坤一) and others, Zhang could not let it go for a long time. The event, kept in the official record, were beyond doubt, out of which some other versions were derived. Despite some differences in plot, they are generally consistent. Looking into the case, it is found that Zhang had never changed his way of a Confucian official.