Late Qing Dynasty Study

The changes of both governmental and educational systems are two of the most important social reforms in the late Qing Dynasty marked by the Xinzheng(New Systems Reform).The structure, and routine operations such as decision-making, readjustment and management of the Xuebu(the Ministry of Education), which happens to hold a pivotal position at the time, not only reflect the scope and ups and downs of the governmental structural changes, but also influence the achievements and limitations of the educational system reform.The reform of governmental structure in the late Qing Dynasty leads to fundamental changes in the traditional Chinese six-ministry administrative framework. The creation of the Xuebu marks a significant break-through in the administrative reform of the central government in the late Qing Dynasty, reflecting the typical hardships accompanying the replacement of the old system by the new. After the institutional reform, the internal and external operations of the Xuebu exhibit the relationship between the Xuebu and the court, other ministries and councils, and local governments. Though the functions of different ministries are comparatively expanded and strengthened, the responsibilities among related ministries and departments are not clearly defined. Frictions and adjustments result in continuous conflicts of interest and serious shirking of responsibilities. The central government, while trying to standardize administrative work, comes into conflict with local governments whose desire for power is ever increasing. Such internal strife not only lowers the operational efficiency of the ruling machines, but also causes the disunity of the Qing court, accelerating its disintegration under the devastating attack brought about by the 1911 Revolution. Besides, during the rule of the Xinzheng and the Xianzheng, the Qing government is divided into different fractions. As Zhang Zhidong and Yuan Shikai are intimately connected with the officials of the Xuebu, they use modern school models in Zhili and Hubei to influence the policy-making processes of the Xuebu, making it oscillate between innovation and restoration, radicalism and conservatism, with periodic variations, of course.With "saving the nation through education" as the hot social topic and common understanding of both the government and masses, educational reform and development have become the fundamental determining factors affecting the scale,speed and model of social changes. The Xuebu, as the first formal central administrative department specializing in the uniform management of national education in Chinese history, plays an important role in the popularization of the western-type of education, fusion of Chinese and western cultures, acceleration of the rises and falls of traditional and new intelligentsia, promotion of the transformation of government structure and the change of the whole society. Under the guidance of the Xuebu , a multi-level educational administrative system is established to complement the existing 1904 system, forming the basic framework for the future educational administrative system in China. Upon the approval of the court, the Xuebu starts to recruit educational backbones from all over the country, including graduates from Chinese and foreign schools, and even exiled officials who are involved in the One Hundred Days of Reform in 1898. As a result, many important positions in the Xuebu are held by the reformists who take an active part in getting in touch with the progressive forces in society. The personnel policy that stresses talents rather than diplomas, and promotes younger people based on their merits rather than on their seniority, increases the administrative efficiency. In the short period of six years, by taking such measures as defining educational purposes, making and perfecting rules and regulations, centralizing planning work and readjusting the structural framework for various educational institutions at different levels, establishing and optimizing an information system and information regulatory mechanism, tracing the new education development trends in foreign countries, stepping up the policy guidance and supervisory work regarding the raise and use of educational fund, and encouraging library construction, scientific inventions, and cultural relic protection, the Xuebu, as a central educational administrative body, plays a leading role in promoting the western-type of education and cultural development. The curtain is thus raised for the high speed development of modern schools. During this time, the reform and development of education has registered great achievements.However, the Xuebu is just a functional department under the Qing government. When intense conflicts arise between the new and old, government and people, Chinese and foreign and endanger the ruling system, the Ministry is not hesitant to relinquish scientific laws in favor of the will of the court. The Xuebu's subordinate status and attitude are fully reflected in the decisions regarding the standard of textbooks' approval procedure, retaining the awarding of scholarlyhonor and official rank to the graduates i, promoting the establishment of schools that keep up ancient traditions, strictly controlling students' ideology, and preventing students from taking part in political struggles. Due to the limitations of the class and the times in an era when people travel the old road in new shoes, the Xuebu has its historical placement decided. Its miserable ending is to become the last imperial dynasty's burial object.