Abstract: During the Jiaqing reign, the situation of the Jiangnan River Conservancy was becoming increasingly severe. The regular annual maintenance of the major conservancy works and other projects caused huge fi scal burdens. In order to raise suffi cient funding, some offi cials suggested that the expenses of river conservancy should be borne by the people. Bao Shichen proposed some tentative plans, such as sorting out the Jiangnan Reed Camp to provide suffi cient material supplies and selling tidal land to raise enough funds, which were later implemented and which achieved some effects. Bao Shichen’s fund raising reforms, arose from the standpoint of striving to benefi t the people and were based on the principles of profi t and capability. Bao’s approach adjusted the distribution of benefi ts, sought new solutions to raise funds, without increasing government expenditure or the burden on the people. Bao’s reforms played a positive role in relieving the predicament.