Early Qing Dynasty Manchu Official Studies

Qing dynasty is the only few central dynasty ruled by the minority in Chinese history. Its official education has inheritance of the former generation, but also has its own characteristics. This feature is closely linked to its unique Eight Banners system. In order to consolidate the foundation of the rule of Manchu and improve the cultural quality of the Eight Banners, the government established the Eight Banners school, the academics of Jingshan and Xian'an Palace, the academics for Zongshi and Jueluo. But with the decline of the feudal monarchy, the Eight-Banners education system was gradually declining and restructuring, so this paper's study focuses on the early period.This article firstly inspects the Eight Banners school, the academics of Jingshan and Xian'an Palace, the academics for Zongshi and Jueluo. This chapter describes the details of the establishing time, place of these education institutions and and the purpose of the education.Secondly, though the analysis of historical records, Chapter II presents the education system of the Eight Banners schools. This education system includes the students, the teachers, the management, the curriculum and examination, and the prospects of the students.In section III, this article discusses the education features of the Eight Banners school. From the school curriculum, we can see that Manchu rulers managed to maintain the characteristics of their own nationality though education and to avoid assimilation of Han nationality. On the other hand, the Manchu rulers had to absorb the advanced culture from Han nationality. By promoting their own principles of education, "national language & horse-riding," and absorbing the advanced culture from Han, the government found a special education system for the Eight Banners school.