Abstract：As an important means to educate citizens, preaching was reformed by the Qing authorities after the first Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Incident in particular. In 1906, Provisions for Agencies of Exhortation to Learning throughout China Made by the Department of Education was issued, which proclaimed the establishment of the preaching agency and the institutionalization of preaching and transformation of its functions. The preaching agency was first established in the capital surrounding area, and in the central and western regions like Sichuan, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Shanxi, the coastal areas like Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong and Guangxi, the border areas like Mukden, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Yunnan in succession, but with various development situation. The preaching is mainly to inform civilians of national and local policies, educate and enlighten the masses. After implementing the regional autonomy, promoting New Deal and especially regional autonomy became another main content. The preaching of the late Qing authorities was not only a moral education, and functioned as means of social enlightenment and policy advocacy as well. However, the uneven quantity and quality of preaching agencies in different provinces, limitations of regulations and contents, inadequacy of lecturers and funds, official corruption and interference of foreign forces all hindered the function of preaching.

Keyword：the late Qing Dynasty;preaching agency;agency of exhortation to learning;the department of education;regional autonomy;