Abstract: The development of physical education in new-style higher education in Sichuan during the late Qing Dynasty demonstrates a "facet" of the educational transformation in the closed inland province of western China towards modernization. This article examines the rise and development of higher physical education in the educational transformation in modern Sichuan, and concludes that higher education in modern Sichuan was operated in a diversified way; the new-style higher education at the time was at the forefront of the whole country both in terms of the number of higher education institutions and the opening time of physical education. Higher physical education in modern Sichuan started in the modern official new-style school - Sichuan Chinese and Western School. which was founded in 1896. Following that, other higher education institutions began to offer education of general gymnastics and military-style gymnastics. In 1906, Sichuan established Sichuan Institute of Physical Education to cultivate sports talents, and designed the physical education norms and the Western discipline-based physical education curriculum system. The institute cultivated a number of outstanding students including the founder of New China - Generalissimo Zhu De. At the same time, West China Union University, which was established by Westerners in 1910, offered physical education courses since its inauguration, and its school sports culture led the modern sports fashion in western China, and its sports characteristics enjoyed high reputation in the country.

Key words: late Qing Dynasty, Sichuan, higher education institutions, higher education, physical education, sports activities