After the Second Opium War, the ruling class in the Qing Dynasty split, and some people advocated learning and using advanced western military and science and technology in order to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty and become a westernization school. The Westernization School is represented by Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo and Zhang Zhidong in the central government.
The Westernization Movement rose from 19 in the 1960s and came to an end in the 1990s, which lasted more than 30 years. It involves a wide range of contents, including the manufacture of firearms, ships and guns, the establishment and training of new navy and army, the establishment of modern industrial and mining transportation enterprises, the establishment of new schools, and the dispatch of overseas students. Its emphasis is different. In the early stage, "self-improvement" was the main focus, with the focus on establishing a military industry using mechanical production and cultivating a new type of army. The first arsenal built by Westernization School was Anqing Ordnance Institute, and Jiangnan Manufacturing General Administration was the largest military industry at that time. Fuzhou Shipping Bureau, founded by Zuo in Fujian, is the most well-equipped shipyard of the Qing government and is also very famous.
In the later period of Westernization Movement, in addition to "striving for self-improvement", the slogan of "seeking wealth" was put forward, and civilian industries such as mining, shipbuilding, telegraph, steel and textile were gradually established. The famous Hubei Weaving Bureau and Hanyang Iron Works were founded by Zhang Zhidong, which was the largest steel works in China at that time.