Abstract: In Ba County after the mid?Qing，individuals had to sign a contract and pay an “installation fee” (dingshouyin) to obtain local constable’s position，which could be sold，rented or even jointly assumed. Such an unusual phenomena resulted from the fact that the local constable was responsible for the corvee duties of all the yamen in the city and the advance payment of miscellaneous military supplies. Because of his contribution，the local constable was entitled to collect customary fees from the shopkeepers，and anyone took over the position also had to pay an “ installation fee. ” The post of local constable was so lucrative that people flocked to it，making it a profession that closely resembled the runners and clerks of the yamen. In practice，ties amont factions and long?term incumbency were often found in the local constable’ s position. Although the gentry joined the management of municipal affairs in later periods and took command of the community administration，the rights and interests of the local constable was hardly been impaired before the end of the Qing dynasty.