The investigation of the ruling areas of Zuo’er, Dianshi and Xunjian in prefectures and counties of Qing Dynasty

Recently the issues of the ruling areas of Zuo’er (assistant official), Dianshi (police official) and Xunjian (policeman) of the prefectures and counties in Qing Dynasty, which involve aspects like local authority structure, lowest authority, and the upper regime’s control over grass-roots society in Qing Dynasty, have received more and more attention in the academic circle. By investigating the actual situation, bases and characters of the ruling areas of Zuo’er, Dianshi and Xunjian in the prefectures and counties (mainly in Guangdong) of Qing Dynasty, this paper denies the hypothesis of Imperial power ends in county in Qing Dynasty, further clarifies different administrative divisions and organizations below county, and provides meaningful historical material for deeply investigating the combining point between state power and inherent authority of the grass-roots society from an institutional perspective.