Opinions and advice on governing the people written in 1893 for the author’s elder brother, Weng Chuanxu 傅煦, while Chuanzhao was in Shanghai waiting for Chuanxu’s return from the capital: Chuanxu, who had been a salt administrator in Fujian, had bought a rank of assistant prefect and gone to Beijing to get an appointment. Before they could meet, the author was dispatched to Jiangsu with the rank of magistrate. He became a disciple of Yu Yue, who in 1895 convinced him to publish the work. Although at the time of writing Weng Chuanzhao had no administrative experience, he compiled materials from Muling shu, Zuozhi yaoyan (qq.v.), and other handbooks, to which he added information that he had himself gathered as well as data and experiences handed down by his father, a former official in Fujian (conditions in Fujian are frequently cited in the text). The resulting 64 entries (without captions) cover all the topics of importance for local administration, the behavior of the magistrate, the necessity to study local conditions and regulations, administering justice (a topic extensively discussed), how to relate to the local populace, and more. They are followed by some random remarks (瑣談). In many instances the author provides original insights on topics commonly discussed in magistrate handbooks.