The Viceroy of Shaan-Gan, fully referred to in Chinese as the Governor-General of Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces and the Surrounding Areas; Overseeing Military Affairs and Food Production, Manager of Waterways, Director of Civil Affairs, was one of eight regional viceroys in China proper during the Qing dynasty. The Viceroy of Shaan-Gan had jurisdiction over Shaanxi and Gansu provinces -Gan, as well as western Inner Mongolia.
The office of Viceroy of Shaan-Gan originated in the early Ming dynasty with the garrisoning of military forces in three towns along the northern border of Shaanxi Province. The three garrisons were called "Xunfu of Yansui", "Xunfu of Ningxia" and "Xunfu of Gansu". In 1497, when the Mongols of the Northern Yuan dynasty made intrusions across the border, the Hongzhi Emperor put Wang Yue in charge of coordinating military actions in Shaanxi, Yansui, Ningxia and Gansu. In the early reign of the Zhengde Emperor, the Mongols invaded Guyuan. The general Cao Xiong rejected external help from reinforcements. Yang Yiqing led lightly armed cavalry to launch a surprise attack on the Mongols and succeeded in driving them back. After this incident, Yang Yiqing recognised that military operations in Yansui, Ningxia and Gansu had to be better coordinated, hence he urged the imperial court to appoint a viceroy to oversee the three areas. Liu Daxia nominated Yang Yiqing for that position. The office of the viceroy was created in 1525, during the reign of the Jiajing Emperor, under the name "tidu of military affairs". The office was renamed to "zongzhi" in 1528, and to "zongdu" in 1540. The headquarters were located at Huamachi.
Qing dynasty
The office was recreated in 1645, during the reign of the Shunzhi Emperor, as "Viceroy of the Three Borders in Shaanxi", with the headquarters at Guyuan. In 1653, the Viceroy's jurisdiction expanded to include Sichuan Province, hence the office was renamed "Viceroy of Chuan and the Three Borders in Shaanxi". In 1656, the office was renamed "Viceroy of Chuan-Shaan" and its headquarters were relocated to Hanzhong. In 1661, the office changed its name to "Viceroy of Shaanxi" after Sichuan was removed from its jurisdiction. In 1666, during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the Viceroy's jurisdiction expanded to include Shanxi Province, hence it was renamed "Viceroy of Shan-Shaan", with its headquarters in Xi'an. Shanxi was removed in 1672, and Sichuan was added again in 1680. In 1723, the Yongzheng Emperor ordered that all Viceroys who also held the position of Secretary of Defence would concurrently be appointed as Right Censor-in-Chief of the Detection Branch in the Censorate. Those Viceroys who did not hold the position of Secretary of Defence would be concurrently appointed as Right Vice Secretary of Defence and Right Vice Censor-in-Chief. In 1725, Yue Zhongqi became the first Han Chinese outside of the Han Military Eight Banners to become a Viceroy when he was appointed as Viceroy of Chuan-Shaan. In 1731, the office was renamed "Viceroy of Shaanxi" and its jurisdiction covered Shaanxi and Gansu; a separate Viceroy of Sichuan was created for Sichuan. In 1736, the Qianlong Emperor abolished the Viceroy of Sichuan and recreated the office of Viceroy of Chuan-Shaan. In 1748, he split the Viceroy of Chuan-Shaan into Viceroy of Sichuan and Viceroy of Shaan-Gan, but reversed the changes again in 1759 and established a separate Viceroy of Gansu, with its headquarters in Suzhou. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor abolished the Viceroy of Gansu and restored the two offices of Viceroy of Sichuan and Viceroy of Shaan-Gan. The Viceroy of Shaan-Gan was headquartered in Lanzhou and concurrently held the appointment of a Provincial Governor. In 1882, during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor, the newly established Xinjiang Province was included under the jurisdiction of the Viceroy of Shaan-Gan.
