of institutions of higher learning might be given an official title. At the time, schools refused to accept girls, who could receive education at home only.

        The Revolution of 1911 overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), ending feudal rule that had lasted more than 2000 years in China. In 1912, the just-founded Republic of China (1912-1949) reformed the existing feudal educational system in a comprehensive manner. The principle of enabling those who receive an education to "develop morally, intellectually, physically and aesthetically in a balanced manner" was first advanced. Around the year 1919, China's education was faced with new changes. The New Cultural Movement that started in 1915 advocated democracy and science; the year of 1917 saw the outbreak of the October Revolution in Russia; and in 1919 the anti-imperialist, anti-feudal May

4th Movement rocked China. These exerted great influences over the Chinese society and enabled education to keep pace with the times. During the period after the May 4th Movement, the reading of Confucian classics was abolished in school education; difficult-to-understand classical Chinese was replaced by the vernacular for textbooks; a phonetic alphabet was promoted; colleges were allowed to enroll girl students; education became more oriented toward the common people and more practical; and some Western teaching theories and methods were introduced into China, leading to a series of reforms in the school system, curricula, teaching materials and teaching methods.

        On October 1, 1949 the People's Republic of China