Beiyang

The term Beiyang literally means Northern Ocean. Initially a purely geographic term, it originated toward the end of the Qing dynasty, and it referred to the coastal provinces of Zhili, Shandong and Liaoning that bordered the Yellow Sea and surrounded the imperial capital of Beijing.
The term later acquired a political significance, denoting the imperial heartland. The position of Minister of Beiyang in the late Qing Dynasty was held by the Viceroy of Zhili, whose main responsibilities were trade relations and occasionally foreign affairs.