Abstract: Li Bingheng was an important figure in Chinese modern history． This paper investigates the historical facts of the latter half of Li's life，excluding the myths in the existing evaluation about Li，and clarifying his relationships with central government，the southeast viceroys and the Boxers． Li's attitude toward the foreign countries and the war was different than that of Li Hongzhang or Zhang Zhidong． Loyalty to the emperor was the core of his spirit，and his alleged
hatred of the foreign powers was not exactly the truth． The personal dilemma of Li Bingheng reflected the complexity of his time．