This thesis is a study of the education system in Hong Kong from the Song dynasty ( 宋 朝, A.D. 960-1279) of China to A.D. 1865, when the Department of Education was established by the British colonial government in Hong Kong. By examining different stages of Hong Kong's education system, the study attempts to find out the different roles of the Chinese tradition and the British influence in developing education in Hong Kong. To better understand the impact of the colonial rule on education in Hong Kong, this study first focuses on the education system in Hong Kong during the pre-colonial era, when the Confucian education played a vital role. Attention is also made to the regional differentiation of the development of education in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, which was far less advanced than that of the New Territories. Secondly, detailed discussion regarding the education system in Hong Kong during the early nineteenth century is made. The period was considered a transition between Chinese administration and British colonization. The third part analyzes Hong Kong's education system from 1842 to 1865, with a focus on the missionary schools' role in developing modern education and the evolution of the Department of Education. This research is based on a variety of primary and secondary sources in both English and Chinese. The wide range of English primary sources include government archives, school and family records, newspaper articles, diaries, statistic surveys; a particular emphasis is given to the annual Education Reports of Hong Kong iv government schools. Beside, some tables are also compiled to present a clear picture of the details.