Abstract: Yao'an, a county (a prefecture in the ancient times) of a long history and splendid cultural heritage, is regarded by many as half the volume of the history of Yunnan Province. It was nevertheless virtually oblivious to influence of the Confucian culture prior to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when the circulating official system was practiced here and schools and libraries, governmental and non-governmental, were established to offer Confucianism education. It was the preliminary stage of local Confucianism education. Paying greater attention to the preaching effect of Confucianism, rulers of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) expanded scope of Confucianism education by 1) injecting funds to restore and improve governmental schools established in the previous Ming Dynasty; 2) promoting, to rapid and notable effect, non-governmental education bodies; and 3) further developing the libraries set up in the Ming Dynasty. It is, therefore, reasonable to argue that in Yunnan Confucianism education emerged in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), took roots in the Ming Dynasty and grew in depth in the Qing Dynasty. More than producing a large number of talents, dissemination and development of Confucianism education of the Ming and Qing dynasties made far-reaching impact on both cultural fusion and ethnic integration.

Key words: Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368-1911), Yao'an Prefecture, Confucianism education, ethnic integration, cultural fusion