Late Qing Dynasty Hangzhou Gentry Response On New College

Zhejiang Qiushi Academy, the predecessor of Zhejiang University, had difficulty in venues, fund raising and the employment of teacher around its establishment. The triumph to overcome difficulties indicates the change of Hangzhou Gentry’s attitude toward the new-type academy. Hangzhou gentry has closely related to the employment, salary, authority of the power and professor in Qiushi Academy, as well as the recruitment, learning, rewards and punishment, outlet of the students. The selection of person in charge, the coping of emergency, as well as, the change process of Qiushi Academy has profoundly reflected the attention of local bureaucrats and gentry toward new-type education under the background of the great transformation. The new-type academy was in urgent need for needing modernity talents, to some extent, inheriting, transforming the traditional spirit and shortcomings of traditional academy, as well as promoting the transformation to modern education in the late Qing Dynasty. The foundation and transformation of new-type academy reflects the adjustment of power and interests, thus, becoming gentry’s competition field, which filled with endless interests conflicts. The process of evolution from the traditional education to modern education is also a development process of local bureaucrats and gentry, as well as a struggle process.