On the Preferential Treatment System of the New Army in the Late Qing Dynasty

The New Army'spreferential treatment system in the Late Qing Dynasty is an important period in the overall development of Chinese preferential treatment history. Yuan Shi-kai attached great importance to the the New Army' s preferential treatment system, especially the army's medical work. He employed some excellent military doctors who knew much about western medical knowledge, and adopted the western skills of medical treatment. In this way, the conditions of the old army's medical treatment took on a new look. In addition, to settle down the New Army's ex-servicemen, he laid down detailed rules and regulations which were the most complete and systematical ones about the arrangement of demobilized soldiers in feudal society. The regulations put positive influence on inspiring army's morale, on keeping society steady permanently and on heightening soldier's fighting will. However the New Army's preferential treatment system still walked back and forth in the set pattern of feudal society.