Since its modernization, China’s New Deal of the late Qing Dynasty have brought about municipal administrative reforms in such aspects as town autonomy. This article reviews the modernization and westernization process of China’s modern urban administrative system, based on which it explores the municipal administrative system’s reform and changes in urban form, the construction of laws and regulations concerning antiquities preservation, as well as modern urban plans in relation to city wall demolition in traditional Chinese cities. Finally, the article refl ects on a series of historical facts, including the publication of the Encyclopedia of Municipal Administration through which the introduction of Western planning theories was refl ected, as well as on the modern municipal planning practices carried out by Sun Ke and other historical fi gures, thus illustrating the practical signifi cance of historical research on China’s modern urban planning. Since its modernization, China’s New Deal of the late Qing Dynasty have brought about municipal administrative reforms in such aspects as town autonomy. This article reviews the modernization and westernization process of China’s modern urban administrative system, based on which it explores the municipal administrative system’s reform and changes in urban form, the construction of laws and regulations concerning antiquities preservation, as well as modern urban plans in relation to city wall demolition in traditional Chinese cities. Finally, the article refl ects on a series of historical facts, including the publication of the Encyclopedia of Municipal Administration through which the introduction of Western planning theories was refl ected, as well as on the modern municipal planning practices carried by by Sun Ke and other historical fi gures, thus showing the practical signifi cance of historical research on China’s modern urban planning.