The initial college in the history of China emerged during the ending of Tang Dynasty and the period of five dynasties and ten states. At that time, the college was a place for free lecturing. Song Dynasty is an important period for the development of college. These colleges were mainly for lecturing of theorists and were considered as academic bases for a certain school. Each college had its own unique teaching characteristics. Many famous colleges established canons and rigorous disciplines. Many scholars came to listen to lectures without limitation of schools. The teaching attached importance on debating and arguing and encouraged students to make independent study.
        Most of colleges were established at self expenses, and the sponsors were usually famous local teachers and scholars or native administrators. The sponsor for college affairs was called "Shanzhang" or "Dongzhu" who made a living by lecturing. The teaching style in colleges at that time was mainly self-study combined with public lecture and teacher instruction. The students came to colleges to listen to lectures and the colleges were responsible to provide meal and books. The instruction was performed in questioning and answering form. The textbooks were "Four Books and Five Classics" (Confucian classics used as textbooks in feudal schools for dynasties in ancient China). "Four Books" are The General Learning, The Doctrine of Mean, The Analects of Confucius, and The Mencius; "Five Classics" are Shi Jing, Shang Shu, Yi Li, Spring and Autumn, and Book of Changes. There were also history books and poem collections used as textbooks. The colleges encouraged active academic dispute and debate among students, teachers and other scholars; students could transfer in the middle of study and select teachers; teachers with noble virtues would recommend other excellent teachers to his students and there were strong sensations between teachers and students. This kind of college developed with the change of political situation from Tang Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty. Sometimes it prospered, and sometimes it decayed.