Minister of Works

His official career from the Imperial Academy to Jiangxi grand coordinator had been quite smooth until he decided to take office as Fuzhou minister of Vessel Administration(Westernized enterprise),which was then regarded as a risky post.

然而值其官运亨通之际,他却选择接任在当时颇具风险的洋务企业——福州船政大臣的职务,沈葆桢之所以作出这样的选择不是出于什么"机会主义",而有其深刻的思想动因。