How high were the salaries of officials at all levels in the Qing Dynasty? Why are many honest officials poor all their lives?

Honest officials are not poor, and most of them are not a problem. It's just that many officials (mostly Han officials) don't have their own weapons for their own morality, social influence, setting an example for the society, cracking down on political enemies, and resisting social corruption, especially the corruption of the ruling group.

Use morality to form social cohesion, thus helping social groups to advance harmoniously and protect themselves. If an official works in the official department, it will be even more remarkable. In addition to studying politics in various places, his protege should also be filial to be an official.

Let's talk about officials released abroad. They don't have the double salary care of the emperor, and they don't have the ice carbon respect of the country (there will be filial piety in the workplace). However, they have a lot of disposable funds to profit from it every year.

For example, when a magistrate takes office, the government will take away all the government budget of the county for one year, including rent, office expenses, salaries of yamen staff and so on. I will give you all the money. It is up to the magistrate to decide whether to recruit people or not, and to rent a house and live in the yamen.