During the period around the Opium War, when the feudal ruling regime was facing a severe crisis, certain bureaucrats and intellectuals with democratic inclinations emerged from this camp. They possessed a broader perspective, had an understanding of Western knowledge, and were able to recognize some of the drawbacks of the feudal system, proposing partial reform measures. Representative figures included Gong Zizhen (with the courtesy name of Ding’an, 1792–1841), Wei Yuan (with the courtesy name of Moshen, 1794–1857), Feng Guifen (1809–1874), and Wang Tao (1828–1897). Due to the different historical stages they were in, their ideologies also exhibited many differences. In particular, Wang Tao’s later thoughts evolved into a system of bourgeois reformism. However, his situation differed from that of Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, and his literary ideas remained similar to those of the reformist views held by the landlord class. Therefore, it is still appropriate to include him in this chapter.