Wei Yuan (Chinese:魏源; pinyin:Wèi Yuán; Wade–Giles:Wei Yüan, April 23, 1794 –March 26, 1857), born Wei Yuanda (魏远达), courtesy names Moshen (默深) and Hanshi (汉士), was a Chinese scholar from Shaoyang, Hunan. He moved to Yangzhou in 1831, where he remained for the rest of his life. Wei obtained the provincial degree (juren) in the Imperial examinations and subsequently worked in the secretariat of several prominent statesmen, such as Lin Zexu. Wei was deeply concerned with the crisis facing China in the early 19th century; while he remained loyal to the Qing Dynasty, he also sketched a number of proposals for the improvement of the administration of the empire.