1897 (23rd year of Guangxu), Sheng Xuanhuai, a member of Tianjin Customs Road, founded Nanyang Public School in Xujiahui, Shanghai, which was divided into four schools. Sheng Xuanhuai thought that "only teachers are upright and there are many good people" and that teachers are "the first of all things in the school", so he founded Teachers College and enrolled the first batch of 40 students. To train teachers for the other three hospitals with the training goal of "knowing the body for practical use and being diligent in learning and teaching". The establishment of Nanyang Normal University marks the beginning of modern normal education in China. In the autumn of the same year, following the example of Japanese normal schools attached to primary schools, an outer court was set up, which was called "the model of teacher placement". Normal students are both students and teachers, and make rapid progress while learning, teaching and managing.

1902, the Teachers College of Shi Jing University was established, which was the beginning of higher normal education in China. Normal students are role models for future teachers and primary and secondary school students, so the enrollment requirements of normal colleges are higher, and only those with excellent academic performance can be selected. In the course arrangement, the library attaches importance to the study of educational theory, and pedagogy ranks third in all courses every week. Most courses are also taught by subject teaching method, highlighting the characteristics of normal education.

1902, the Qing government promulgated the Constitution of imperial academy, which formally established the normal education system, but it has not yet become an independent system, but is attached to the directly affiliated schools. Secondary normal schools are attached to secondary schools, and higher normal schools are attached to institutions of higher learning. Because the Qing government was wary of those who formulated the academic system, the articles of association were only promulgated but not implemented. 1903, Cecilia Cheung, Zhang Zhidong and others redrafted the Guimao Academic System, which prompted the Qing government to promulgate the Constitution of the Playing School in early 1904. According to the regulations, normal education can be divided into excellent normal schools and junior normal schools. Normal education is separated from general education and becomes an independent system. At the same time, the Qing government asked all localities to "run normal schools first". After 1902, the enthusiasm for establishing normal education was very high, and Zhili, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Fujian and other provinces have successively established normal schools. 1903, Zhili Higher Normal School and Shandong Normal School were established. 1905, Henan Excellent Normal School and Guangdong Excellent Normal School were established. 1907, Fujian excellent normal school was established. 1908, Shi Jing Normal College and Zhejiang Normal School were established. 1908, the teachers' college of Shi Jing University was also changed to Shi Jing Excellent Teachers' School ... The teachers' school founded in this period was the beginning of China's independent establishment of teachers' schools. In addition to public normal schools, in 1902, Zhang Jian founded Tongzhou Normal School, the first private normal school in China.

Due to the strong influence of the feudal thought of "men are superior to women" for thousands of years, the constitution of the drama school stipulates that women cannot enter school. Although a few enlightened people quietly run several women's normal schools among the people, it is difficult to develop because they have not obtained legal status. It was not until 1907 "The Constitution of Women's Normal School" was promulgated that government-run women's normal schools began to appear. 1908, Shi Jing Women's Normal School was established. Since then, women's normal education has gradually developed.

The establishment of preschool education in the early 20th century urgently needs preschool teachers. To this end, Beijing No.1 Nursery School and Hubei Kindergarten are affiliated to the Nanny Class and the Nursing Department at 1903 respectively. Later, there were also nanny departments and nanny workshops in girls' schools or girls' normal schools. This kind of nanny training institution trained the earliest kindergarten teachers in China and became the bud of kindergarten teachers in China.

The late Qing Dynasty was the birth period of normal education in China. People began to realize the importance of normal education, and vigorously set up normal education. People with lofty ideals believe that "teacher education is the mother of education, and primary school teachers are the source of primary schools." If normal schools are not good, local studies will never develop. "Normal education at this time has the following characteristics:

1, highlighting the characteristics of normal schools and attaching importance to the study of educational theories. Elementary normal schools offer pedagogy, and excellent normal schools offer psychology courses in addition to pedagogy. In addition, all normal students must master the teaching methods of various subjects.

2. Pay attention to educational practice. Normal universities at all levels have affiliated schools to facilitate students' internship, internship and scientific research in normal universities (libraries).

3. Pay attention to the cultivation of moral quality. The Constitution of Primary Normal School points out that the most important task of normal education is to "change students' temperament, stimulate students' spirit, sharpen students' ambition", "cultivate their kind and intelligent temperament" and make them "cultivate themselves, abide by the law and teach by example". Therefore, self-cultivation courses are specially set up to improve students' self-cultivation level.

4. The rights and obligations of normal students are stipulated. The expenses of normal students during their study are provided by the school, except for a few self-funded students. Normal students "have the obligation of effective education in this province and the whole country" after graduation. 1904 1 Promulgates the Constitution of Primary Normal School and the Constitution of Excellent Normal School, stipulating that all tuition fees of normal school students are paid by official fees, but students are also enrolled at their own expense. Undergraduate students with formal fees must fulfill their teaching obligations for six years after graduation, and students with simple courses must fulfill their teaching obligations for three years; Self-funded undergraduate graduates must work for 3 years and pure undergraduate students for 2 years. Those who fail to perform their teaching duties, or whose teacher's license is revoked for reasons, shall be ordered to pay the official expenses paid while they are still studying at school as punishment. This measure played a great role in stabilizing the teaching staff at that time and promoting the development of education.