Abstract: The history of sanitation in China, especially in pre - modern times, has been fundamentally neglected.Based on Qing dynasty Jiangnan, this article undertakes an initial study of sanitary concepts and behavior and their variations from modern practices.From the perspective of the environment, water sanitation and other aspects of sanitation that impinged on everyday life when compared to modern sanitation many scholars have concluded that the Qing public health legislation was inadequate on a national scale.However, at the regional and local levels concepts and behavior concerning public health, which balanced the natural and social ecologies, did exist.From the reigns of the Jiaqing and Daoguang emperors, along with changes in the social environment and intrusion of Western civilization, sanitary concepts and practices in Jiangnan underwent a series of changes.Numerous intellectuals, considering the shortcomings of the existing sanitary system , felt the necessity to introduce expert administrative organization and systems including daily inspections, fines, and regulations.A s a consequence health services were transformed into systemic and organized official institutions.