During the wave of expanding education in the late Qing period,a new institution called the Department for Encouraging Learning appeared in districts and counties.The directors and agents of Departments for Encouraging Learning were local people and operating funds for the schools were mainly self-raised.The Departments had a mandate covering all things related to the establishment of local schools,and were strongly autonomous.However,because district and county governments did not have autonomy at the time,Departments for Encouraging Learning usually took orders from Educational Intendants an...
