Abstract: Field experiments were pioneered in studying primary-level governance in field politics, before experimental politics was introduced into Chinese politics, and clearly put forward was the academic proposition of “experiment taking precedence over scheme”. Four experiments around the institutional changes of primary-level governance after China’s reform and opening up, “Shuiyuean Experiment” targeted to farmers’ participation, “Yuedong Experiment” aimed at farmers’ organizations, “Nannong Experiment” targeted to farmers’ capability, and “Yangji Experiment” aimed at township elections were successively carried out. There were great differences between the institutional text of village governance and the operation of the system in rural society, as well as the constraints of the institutional environment on the operation of the system, field political scholars realized according to the four successive experiments and theoretical reflections. The study then put the follow-up research for an in-depth of rural social history and the foundation of rural society. In conclusion, through experimental trial and error, the academic consciousness of field politics was deepened and the self-confidence of social science research methods established.

Key words: field experiment, field politics, villager autonomy, primary-level governance, township elections, farmers’ participation, farmers’ capability