参赞是驻外使馆中仅次于公使的职位,负有沟通上下、辅助公使的重要职责。在晚清,包括参赞在内的驻外使团人员由公使自行聘任。由于出洋差使保奖优厚,且并无身份及外语能力的要求,因此成为公使及高级官员安插亲友、部属的机会,参赞成为谋求官场机会的奔竞之途,少有参赞久于其任,这些影响到参赞的来源、质量和外交效果,导致驻外使馆只能长期依赖洋员办事。庚子事变之后进行的外交改革,确定外交人员内外互换的原则,参赞来源开始出现大的变动,外交官培养逐渐走向职业化。 Counselor is the post of ambassador to foreign embassies second only to the post, with the important responsibilities of communication, assisting the minister. In the late Qing Dynasty, foreign missions including counselors were commissioned by the minister himself. Due to the extraordinarily generous prizes and the lack of capacity for identity and foreign language proficiency, the foreign minister and senior officials have become friends and relatives and subordinates. Counselors have become runners-on pursuing official opportunities. Affecting the source, quality and diplomatic effect of Counselor, resulting in the embassy can only rely on foreigners long-term service. The diplomatic reform carried out after the G-Boxing Incident established the principle of internal and external interchange of diplomatic staff. The source of the counselor started to change a lot. The training of diplomats gradually became professional.