Conflicts between the Charity School and Temple Culture in Shanxi Province during the Late Qing Dynasty

The charity school was an important component of the basic rural education system in China's Qing dynasty.The institution of the charity school gradually broke down the barriers of accessibility for China's temples, in Shanxi province during the latter part of the Qing dynasty.As a result, religious culture progressively expanded in the rural areas due to the support the government and affluent locals offered through the charity school system.Meanwhile, in the process of replacing many of the traditional functions of temples, the charity school became the most important center for public utilities in these rural areas.From many different historical examples of conflict among Chinese monks and village locals taken from Shanxi province during the late Qing dynasty, it can be seen that the development of the charity school promoted both adjustment and reconstruction in China's rural culture as well as its societal relations and modernization.