During the Shenlong period of Zhongzong of the Tang Dynasty, Zhang Ju, a Jinshi, visited Ci'en Temple and on a whim, inscribed his name under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Unexpectedly, this move attracted literati to follow suit. In particular, new scholars regard the title of Yan Pagoda as a great honor. After having a banquet in Qujiang, they collectively came to the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and recommended calligraphers to inscribe their names, place of origin and date of birth on the wall with ink. If one of these people becomes a minister in the future, his or her name will be written in red pen. Among the people named in the Yan Pagoda, the most famous one is Bai Juyi. At the age of 27, he won the first prize in one fell swoop. Unable to restrain his joy, he wrote the poem "Under the Ci'en Pagoda, where the name is written, the youngest among the seventeen people".
"New Book of Tang·Election Chronicles": "As soon as he passed the exam, he also got a seat at the Qujiang Meeting." Li Zhao's "National History Supplement": "Since he was successful, his name was listed on the Ci'en Temple Pagoda. , called the inscription meeting." What is recorded in two ancient books is another great honor for new scholars in the Tang Dynasty, "Yanta Inscription", also known as "Ci'en Inscription".
Yan Pagoda, Xi'an Ci'en The Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the temple was built in the third year of Yonghui of the Tang Dynasty (AD 652) to preserve the Buddhist scriptures brought back by Xuanzang from India.
After the banquet in Qujiang, the new scholars rushed to Ci'en Temple. , gathered in the inscription room specially used for inscriptions. They first wrote their names and place of origin on a piece of square paper, and recommended those with outstanding calligraphy to write an essay to record this event. Then they handed it over to the professional masons. Engraved on the stone bricks of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. When Bai Juyi was 27 years old, he passed the Jinshi exam and was the youngest among the seventeen people who passed the exam at the same time. When he was proud, he wrote: "The inscription under the Ci'en Pagoda is the youngest among the seventeen people." ."
The Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties inherited the Tang Dynasty's system of naming Jinshi. The naming ceremony was held at the Imperial Academy, the highest institution of learning in Kyoto, and the names of new Jinshi were engraved on the stone tablets prepared by the Ministry of Industry. , ranking, place of birth.
Today, the Ci'en Temple in Xi'an and the Confucius Temple in Beijing still have well-preserved steles inscribed by the new scholars of the past dynasties. As a result, these ancient elites have become famous and spread far and wide to later generations. (Lu Maoqing)