4 Fighting corruption and promoting honest and clean government: The arrest and eventual execution of the corrupt official An Dehai is a remarkable example of fighting corruption.

Then, during the project to harness the Yellow River, Ding recovered embezzled money from corrupt officials at different levels and thus saved large amounts for the already depleted national treasury.

One thing about Ding which is remembered even today by the people of Guizhou province is that when Ding died in 1886 he was heavily in debt and he and his family were unable to repay it.

In his last words to the Empress Dowager he wrote: "I am unable to repay the debt in my present life. I can only repay it in my next life as a beast of burden."

Ding's theory and practice of strengthening the country's military power is also something we can learn from today.

In the mid-18th century, the Qing government was facing both domestic troubles and foreign invaders, particularly Japanese imperialists.

Ding then suggested that the government strengthen its coastal defenses.