On this day 124 years ago, on December 25, 1901 (November 15, 1901 lunar calendar), China's first official newspaper, Beiyang Official Daily, was founded. China's first official newspaper, Beiyang Official Daily, was founded on December 25, 1901. It was the earliest and most influential local government official newspaper. Its content was mainly based on government bulletins, taking into account the situation of foreign society and new ideas and new knowledge, commenting on China's shortcomings, proposing innovative measures, and serving as a propaganda tool for the Westernization faction. On January 29, 1901, it ordered ministers to "discuss and hear" how the imperial government should be revamped. Once the order was issued, Zhang Zhiqiu suggested the establishment of an official newspaper. He believes that "the officials do not know the people's feelings, and the grass and fields do not know the current situation, so the upper and lower levels do not speak to the meaning, and the Chinese and foreign do not know the feelings, so the newspapers cannot be circulated." He proposed to start a newspaper "Go to Saiqiutong". On April 25, 1901, Yuan Shikai, the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang, wrote a memorial to Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu, and put forward ten suggestions, one of which was titled "Open the wisdom of the people", suggesting that "it is advisable to open up official newspaper bureaus in all provinces". The purpose is to inspire the wisdom of the people. "The customs of the people are becoming more and more popular, and the eyes and ears are becoming new. It can not only benefit the people's livelihood... but also resist the foreign newspapers that In August 1901, Yuan Shikai established the Beiyang Official Newspaper Bureau in the former site of Jixian Academy in Hebei Lion Forest, Tianjin, and sent people to Japan to purchase the most advanced printing equipment. He hired Japanese fine copper plate, stone plate, photographic plate making and printing technicians, and hired movable type printing workers from Shanghai to engage in printing. After preparations were made, the Beiyang Official Newspaper Bureau was established. Tianjin called the "Beiyang Official Newspaper" General Administration, and another branch was set up in Baoding. The bureau was divided into six shares of editing, translation, painting, printing, copywriting, and income and expenditure, with a total of more than 150 people in the overall situation. On December 25, 1901, "Beiyang Official Newspaper" was founded. It was the earliest and most influential local government official newspaper established in the late Qing Dynasty. Its content is mainly based on government bulletins, but it does not blindly cater to the government. It also systematically introduces the situation of foreign societies, introduces new ideas and new knowledge, comments on China's shortcomings, and proposes innovative measures. It has become a propaganda tool for the Westernization School. Relying on official communication channels, it has played a role of "opening the atmosphere first". Newspaper publications include direct explanations of the oracle, the oracle, the provincial politics, academic affairs, military affairs, recent and current affairs, agriculture, engineering, business, military science, teaching plans, negotiations, news from other provinces, and news from various countries. There are columns such as palace banknotes, memorials, abstracts of analysis, summaries of texts, news from other provinces, news from other countries, etc. In 1902, Tianjin established the General Administration for national distribution. It is recorded that from July 24, 1903 to February 15, 1904, the "Beiyang Official Daily" was published on the next day, with an average of 2,173 copies sent each time, and a total of 32,600 copies sent each month. Since February 16, 1904, the "Beiyang Official Daily" was changed to daily publication, with an average of 3,091 copies sent each time, and a total of 92,730 copies sent each month. In 1903, the Qing government decided to promote the "Beiyang Official Daily" nationwide in view of the success of the trial run, and "established the position of the" Beiyang Official Daily "in the country.