School education has a history of several thousand years in China. There were educational institutions called Yang in ancient China. Higher-level schools were Upper Yang, while the lower level schools were Lower Yang. In the Xia Dynasty (circa 2070-1600BC), schools were called by level: Xue, Dongxu, Xixu, and Xiao. In the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122BC), names of the four level schools were Xue, Youxue, Zuoxue and Xu. There were also schools set up in princes' residences in latter dynasties, called Biyong and Chengjun.

In the Han Dynasty (206BC-23AD), the highest learning institution was called Taixue (Supreme Learning), under which there were Dongxue (East Learning), Xixue (West Learning), Nanxue (South Learning) and Beixue (North Learning). Taixue was renamed as Guozixue, Guozisi and Guozijian (National Academy). In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Guozijian was no longer a learning institution, but a special organ for education administration of the nation. By this time, schools were generally called Shuyuan (academy of classical learning) and Sishu (private school).