Abstract:

This paper extracts valuable experiences in social governance from China’s traditional culture. We found that from retainers in the pre-Qin period to private legal advisers in Qing dynasty, elites were always rewarded and respected by governors. As intellectual support, they played an important role in political stability and in the development of economy and culture. The advisers system catered to the Qing Dynasty rulers, and underwent two climaxes, all these showing that the elites-mass governance model worked well in the transformational or complex period. However, due to the decadent feudal system, impacts of new foreign cultures and other reasons, the adviser system had declined. China is now in a transformational period with various challenges, so we hope the analysis on the development of the adviser system would be of reference and enlightenment for China to construct and perfect advisory body system.

Key words: private legal adviser system, social transformation, government by elites, advisory body system, social governance
编 , 辑：文彦元