Research On The Li-Yi Institution Of Local Government In The Qing Dynasty

The imperial China was famous of the developed bureaucracy, and new development and breakthrough in the Guan (the officials and officers in the government) institution emerged in each era. In the local government of the Qing Dynasty, the Li (clerks) institution and Guan institution brought out the best in each other, and on the other hand, the Li institution was related to the Yi(runners) institution. Thus the characteristic institution of local Li-Yi came into being in the late imperial China. Viewed from the historical process, the social status of Li-Yi became more and more lowly and they were discriminated and excluded by the literate officials. And this is the reflection of rigid social class. At the background of selecting Guan by examination, the function of Li-Yi became more and more important, and to some extent, the Guan institution greatly depended upon the Li-Yi institution.The research of this dissertation follows two clues: one is the change of the Li-Yi institution itself, and the other is the development of local administrative institution in the Qing Dynasty. And this paper systemically investigates the integrated local Li-Yi institution in the Qing Dynasty, and keeps to the research method of practice dominating theory instead of theory driving practice. Furthermore, this thesis pays attention to digging the abundant historical facts and details, and at the same time, probes into the problem of local Li-Yi institution combining with the process of local administration.This thesis has five parts and seven chapters besides the introduction in which the background is introduced.In Part one (Chapter one), the structure of local government in the Qing Dynasty is introduced, such as provinces and counties, in order to illustrate the creation circumstance of local Li-Yi, i.e. the distribution in the government and the relation between different individuals. And this could bring crucial effects to grasp the formation of social character of Li-Yi and the diversity of existence. The discussion of the structure of Li-Yi group and local government and the relation of Li-Yi and other groups in the government, such as the intercourse between Li-Yi, the relation of Li-Yi, Guan and Muyou, the intercourse among Li-Yi and their Jiaren, and so on, aims to illuminate that the illogical administrative structure...