Imperial Examination is an examination for ancient scholars in China to select talents. This is the system of selecting officials through examinations in feudal dynasties. It is called imperial examination because it adopts the method of selecting scholars through subjects. The imperial examination system was implemented from the Sui Dynasty until the last Jinshi examination was held in the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu in Qing Dynasty, which lasted more than 1,300 years.
Sui Dynasty —— The Origin of Ancient Chinese Imperial Examination System
The ancient imperial examination system in China originated from the Sui Dynasty. After the Sui Dynasty unified the whole country, in order to adapt to the development and changes of feudal economic and political relations, expand the requirements of the feudal ruling class to participate in political power, strengthen centralization, restore the power of selecting officials to the central government, and replace the nine-grade system with the imperial examination system. The imperial examination system was established in the reign of Yang Di the Great for three years, and Jinshi was selected through examinations. The word Jinshi first appeared in the Book of Rites. Its original intention is that you can get honor. At that time, the main policy of the current affairs examination was the political examination paper about the political life of the country at that time, which was called the trial strategy. Although it was a pioneering period and there was no system, it closely combined reading, taking exams and being an official, which opened a new page in the electoral history of China. Shen Jiji, the etiquette minister in the Xuanzong period of Tang Dynasty, has a pertinent view on this historical change ... Because he has the right to buy state-owned assets, he belongs to the official department. Since the Sui Dynasty, people from all over the world have been recruited, gathering in the capital in spring and living in autumn, and gathering in clouds. "
Tang Dynasty —— Perfection of the Imperial Examination System in Ancient China
After the Tang Emperor overthrew the rule of the Sui Dynasty, he inherited the talent selection system handed down from the Sui Dynasty and further improved it. As a result, the imperial examination system gradually improved. In the Tang Dynasty, the subjects of examination were divided into two categories: routine subjects and institutional subjects. The examinations held in stages every year are called regular subjects, and the temporary examinations held by the emperor are called institutional subjects.
There are more than 50 regular subjects such as scholar, scholar, scholar, Fa Ming, Zi Ming and Zi Ming. Among them, subjects such as Faming and Ziming are not concerned. Scholars and other subjects were not often held. In the early Tang Dynasty, scholars had high requirements, and then they were gradually cancelled. Therefore, Ming Jing and scholar became the main subjects in the formal discipline of Tang Dynasty. After Tang Gaozong, candidates who pass state and county exams without going to the academy and then send them to Shangshu Province are called "xianggong". Candidates who come to Beijing from "xianggong" are generally called juren. The state and county examination is called the joint examination, and the provincial examination of Shangshu is generally called the provincial examination, or the ritual examination. The examination of rites is held in spring, so it is also called the end of spring, which means examination room.
At first, Ming Jing and Jinshi were just attempts, and the content of the exam was Confucian classics or current affairs. Later, although the examination subjects of the two subjects have changed, the basic spirit is that epigraphy pays more attention to poetry and fu, and Ming Jing pays more attention to Confucian classics and ink meaning. Sticking a book is to open a page at will, cover the left and right sides, only open a line in the middle, and then cover the three words with paper for the examiner to fill in. Ink meaning is the text of Confucian classics.
The regular examination was originally presided over by Yuan Wailang, the official department minister, and later presided over by Assistant Minister of Justice, known as "Quan Zhi Gong Ju". Jinshi is called "climbing the dragon gate", and the first name is champion or champion. People in the same list should raise money to hold a celebration, so that two teenagers in the same list can explore famous flowers in the famous garden, which is called flower-exploring messengers. They should collectively attend the banquet in the apricot garden, which is called a flower-exploring banquet. After the banquet, they will go to Jionji together. Therefore, it is also called "the title of the Wild Goose Pagoda". Jiao once wrote a poem in After Graduation: "Proud horseshoe disease, I have seen Chang 'an flowers." Therefore, the spring breeze is proud of it, and it has become synonymous with Jinshi and it. After Chang Ke won the first place, he had to pass the official department examination and call the exam. Only those who pass can be awarded official positions. Liu Zongyuan, a great scholar in the Tang Dynasty, awarded officials with erudition and great words.
In the Tang Dynasty, scholars should not only look at the test results, but also look at the recommendations of various people. As a result, candidates rushed to the doors of officials and dedicated their masterpieces to them, calling them papers. These documents are called official documents of the Ministry of Rites and documents of dignitaries. The paper really exposed the talented people. For example, the poem "Give Grass to the Original" written by the poet Bai Juyi to Gu Kuang was highly praised by the old poets. But this is fraud.
In February of the first year of Wu Zetian, the queen personally "asked to pay tribute to Luocheng Hall", which was the beginning of the imperial examination in China, but it did not form a system in the Tang Dynasty.
In the Tang Dynasty, martial arts came into being. Martial arts began in the second year of Wu Zetian's Chang 'an in 702 AD. Candidates who should take the martial arts examination come from "xianggong" and are reviewed by the Ministry of War. Examination subjects include horse shooting, step shooting, flat shooting, carbine, weight wrestling and so on. "The highest official title is awarded to the official, followed by class promotion".
Song Dynasty —— The Reform Period of Ancient Chinese Imperial Examination System
Generally, the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty are the same as those in the Tang Dynasty, including routine subjects, control subjects and martial arts subjects. In contrast, the number of formal subjects in the Song Dynasty was greatly reduced compared with that in the Tang Dynasty, among which Jinshi was still the most important, and most of the first-class Jinshi could be the prime minister. Therefore, Zuqian of Lu Song said, "The subjects of Jinshi are often the same, and they are all extremely obvious." At that time, there was a saying of burning incense and Jinshi.
First of all, the imperial examination in Song Dynasty broadened the scope and function of admission. Scholars in Song Dynasty were divided into three classes: the first class was called Jinshi; Second-class said that Jinshi was born; Third-rate scholars are endowed with the same origins as scholars. Due to the expansion of admission scope, the number of places has doubled. In the Tang Dynasty, only twenty or thirty scholars were admitted at a time, and at least a few or a dozen people were admitted at a time. In the Song Dynasty, as many as 200 or 300 people were admitted at a time, or even 500 or 600 people were admitted at a time. Candidates who have repeatedly failed in the exam are allowed to sign up for the attached exam, which is called the special name. They can also ask the emperor for mercy and reward their birth qualifications.
A three-level examination system was established in the Song Dynasty. There was only a two-level examination system in the early Song Dynasty. The first level is the examination held by each state, and the first level is the provincial examination held by the Ministry of Rites. In order to select truly practical talents to serve the feudal rule, Song Taizu implemented the imperial examination system for six years in Kaibao. Since then, the court examination has become the highest-level examination in the imperial examination system, and the three-level imperial examination in the national examination, provincial examination and court examination has been formally established. You don't need to pass the official examination, and you are directly awarded the official position. Song Taizu also ordered that after the exam, you are not allowed to call the examiner your master or claim to be your student. In this way, everyone who passed the exam became the students of the son of heaven. After the Southern Song Dynasty, there will be a ceremony for the emperor to announce the ranking of the imperial examinations and hold a banquet for Qiongyuan, so it is called Qionglin Banquet, which was later imitated and customized by later generations. The imperial examination in the song dynasty was originally.
Since the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination began to paste the name and remember the reputation, and established a new system to prevent favoritism. Since Sui and Tang Dynasties, favoritism has become more and more serious. In this regard, the rulers of the Song Dynasty took some measures, mainly establishing a system of pasting names and recording reputations. Sticking the name means printing the name and place of origin on the examinee's test paper, which is also called "seal" or "seal". According to Chen Jing Song Taizong, in Song Renzong, the system of pasting names is adopted in provincial and national examinations. But after posting the name, you can also know calligraphy and painting. According to the suggestion of Li Yibin, a native of Yuanzhou, the examiner will record the examination papers separately. When marking papers, they not only know the names of candidates, but also can't recognize the handwriting of candidates. This system has really played a great role in preventing examiners from favoritism. However, at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, due to increasingly corrupt politics,
The imperial examination in the Song Dynasty also made great reforms in the examination content. The imperial examination in the Song Dynasty basically followed the Tang system, and scholars learned classics, Mohism and poetry, which had great disadvantages. Scholars take phonology as their service and are ignorant of ancient and modern times. After Wang Anshi took part in politics, he began to reform the contents of the imperial examination, abolished poetry and fu, attached classics and ink meaning, and paid attention to the meaning, theory and strategy of classics. The so-called classic meaning, similar to theory, is a short essay, which is limited to using the sentences in the classic as the topic and using the meaning in the classic to examine the content. Wang Anshi was awarded New Meanings of Three Classics and Selected Works, and called The Book of Changes, The Book of Songs, Zhou Li and The Book of Rites as great classics, while The Analects of Confucius and Mencius were both classics, which were designated as required reading for scholars. At that time, it was stipulated that Jinshi had to take four exams: one was the Great Classic.
Ming Dynasty —— The heyday of the imperial examination system in ancient China
Since the Yuan Dynasty, the Mongols ruled the Central Plains, and the imperial examination entered the middle and low period, but it was a precedent set by the Yuan Dynasty to take the four books for the examination of Jinshi.
After the demise of the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was established and the imperial examination system entered its heyday. The rulers of the Ming Dynasty attached great importance to imperial examinations, and their methods were more rigorous than those of previous dynasties.
Before the Ming Dynasty, the school was only one of the ways to transport candidates for the imperial examination. In the Ming dynasty, becoming an official became the only way for the imperial examination. In the Ming Dynasty, people who entered imperial academy to study were generally called Guo Jian. There are four types of students in Guo Jian: Gong Jian, bureaucratic children, Yin Jian, giving lessons and donating lessons. Students in Guo Jian can become officials directly, especially in the early Ming Dynasty.
After obtaining the provincial examination, there are also candidates who take the imperial examination. Only when you enter the school and become a candidate can you enter the prison to study or become a candidate for the imperial examination. In the Ming Dynasty, Fuzhou County School was called County School or Confucianism. Those who enter the government, state and county schools after passing the examinations at all levels in this province are generally called candidates, commonly known as Jinshi. The entrance examination to obtain the qualification of candidates is called children's examination, also known as tests and quizzes. Studying politics is also called prefect college, so it is called taking an examination of universities. Those who pass the college examination are called students, and then they go to government, state and county schools to study. Students are divided into three categories: students, students, and students supported by the government are called students. Those who increase beyond the quota are called co-opted students, and the branch is called proliferation; In addition to the proliferation of life, it will also increase the number of places, attached to the end of life, called epiphyte, called epiphyte. Getting students is the starting point of fame. On the one hand, students from schools in various prefectures, prefectures and counties are selected as Gong Sheng, and they can directly enter imperial academy to become Guo Jian Zi. On the one hand, provincial academic promotion officers hold two-level examinations, namely, annual examination and science examination, which are divided into six grades according to their grades.
In the Ming Dynasty, the official imperial examination was divided into three levels: the provincial examination, the general examination and the court examination. The rural examination is a local examination held by South Zhili, North Zhili and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The locations are in the southern and Beijing areas and the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is held every three years, also known as the Wei Xiang. The examination place is called Gong Yuan. Therefore, the examination time is in autumn and August. There are several other officials. The exam was divided into three sessions, which were held on August 9th,12nd and15th respectively. After having obtained the provincial examination, Juren was commonly known as Lian Xiao, and the first place was Xie Yuan. After having obtained the provincial examination, he won the first place, so he was called Tang. In the provincial examination, it is called B list, also called B subject. When the list is published, it is also called Gui list. After the list is announced, the governor will host the banquet.
The examination is a national examination presided over by the Ministry of Rites, also known as the Ministry of Rites. It is held in the second year of the rural examination, that is, every day, every day and every year. The national juren will take an exam in the capital in February, so it is called the Spring Wei Dynasty. The exam is also divided into three sessions, held on February 9, 12 and 15 respectively. Because the exam is a higher level exam, it is the same as the examiner's exam.
Palace examinations were held in the same year after enlistment. It was originally the first day of March. Ming Xianzong ascended the throne eight years later, it was changed to March 15th. The candidate is Gong. Gong Shi didn't fail in the palace exam, but the ranking was rearranged by the emperor. The court exam was presided over by Angel, who only tested current affairs. After graduating from the palace exam, I will read the papers the next day and release the results the next day. Admission is divided into one, one and three grades, which are given to Jinshi, champion and champion respectively. Together, it is called Sandingjia. The second brother is a scholar, and the third Johnson is a scholar. Second, the first name of the top three is Chuanqiu. The first, second and third names are collectively referred to as Jinshi. The Jinshi list is called the A list, or A family. The Jinshi list is written on yellow paper, so it is called Huang Jia, also known as the Golden List, and the Chinese scholar is called the champion.
The first place in the provincial examination is Xie Yuan, and the first place in the national examination is Huiyuan. Together with the No.1 scholar in Gongkao, it is called Sanyuan. It is a story in the imperial examination. In the Ming Dynasty, only Guan Xu in Hongwu period and Shang Lu in orthodox period participated in winning the Three Principles.
After palace examination, the champion awarded imperial academy the ranking, second place and flower exploration. The rest of the scholars passed the exam and were called Jishi Shu of imperial academy. Three years later, those who passed the examination were awarded the editor of imperial academy, and the rest were assigned to the ministries as directors, or were given priority by the magistrate of a county, which was called "scattered libraries". People from Jishi Shu get promoted quickly. After Yingzong, the imperial court formed a scholar who did not enter imperial academy, but did not.
Eight-part essay is the first one of the rural examination and general examination in Ming Dynasty. Whether you can take the exam depends mainly on the quality of the eight-part essay. Therefore, the average reader often spends his whole life on eight-part essay. Eight-part essay is based on the sentences in the Four Books and Five Classics, and its meaning can only be explained according to the meaning of the topic. The wording should be in the tone of the ancients, that is, the so-called generation of sages. The format is also dead. The structure has a certain formula and the number of words is limited. Grammar needs duality. Eight-part essay is also called "what you say has substance, what you do has skill, modern literature, modern art, eight-part essay and four essays". Eight-part essay is a short essay composed of eight pairs, which is generally divided into six paragraphs. The first sentence breaks the topic, the second sentence bears the topic, and then why is it called the origin? The main body of the eight-part essay is four paragraphs, namely, the beginning, the middle, the late and the binding. Every paragraph. People's thoughts have been severely restricted, which is a tool to maintain feudal autocracy. The common promotion has also led the imperial examination system itself into a dead end. Gu, a famous scholar in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasties, said indignantly: "Eight-part writing is strong, six meridians are weak, eighteen rooms are strong, and twenty-one histories are abolished." He also said, "Stupid stereotyped thinking is more harmful than burning books."
Qing Dynasty —— The Death of the Imperial Examination System in Ancient China
The imperial examination system in the Qing Dynasty was basically the same as that in the Ming Dynasty, but the policy of ethnic discrimination was implemented. Manchu enjoys all kinds of privileges, and it is not necessary to pass the imperial examination to be an official. Before Yongzheng, the imperial examinations in Qing Dynasty were divided into two lists: Manchu and Chinese. The standard-bearer enjoyed special advantages in provincial examinations and unified examinations, and only one subject, translation, was tested. After that, although Manchu and Han took the exam together, Han people took the most exams.
When the imperial examination system developed to the Qing Dynasty, there were more and more disadvantages. Although the rulers of the Qing Dynasty cheated hell to pay in the imperial examination, due to the drawbacks of the imperial examination system itself, the fraud intensified and the imperial examination system eventually died out.
China's imperial examination system has existed since ancient times. As a system for selecting talents, it is recorded that it began in the Han Dynasty. On this basis, it has been inherited or changed, but generally there is a relatively complete imperial examination system for selecting talents.
The imperial examination system in Ming and Qing dynasties is basically the same. Let's briefly introduce the imperial examination system in Qing Dynasty.
In order to qualify for the official imperial examination, the Qing people had to take the children's examination first. Those who take the children's exam are called Confucian scholars or children's students, and they are called students after entering school (there are official schools, state schools and county schools in Qing Dynasty, collectively referred to as Confucianism). Confucianism and Confucius Temple are called Gong Xue together. Students are disciplined by their tutors (professors, scholars, lecturers and tutors) after entering the school.
There are three kinds of students: the best student is Lin Sheng, who has a certain quota and is fed by the government; Secondly, there is diffusion, but there are also some places; New students are called dependent students. There will be an educational examination every year, which will rise and fall according to the results.
The official imperial examination is divided into three levels: (1) after the rural examination, (2) after the senior high school entrance examination, and (3) after the palace examination.
The provincial examination is usually held every three years in the provincial capital, also known as Dabi. Because they are held in autumn, they are also called Qiu Wei. Scholars (students) take the provincial examination, but before taking the provincial examination, scholars have to pass the scientific research held by the provincial government, and those with good grades can be sent to take the provincial examination. After having obtained the provincial examination, they were called Juren, and their first name was Xie Yuan.
In the spring of the second year after having obtained the provincial examination, the examination was held in the department of rites, so it was also called Li Wei and Chunwei. Juren took part in the exam. After the exam, she was called Gong, and the first name was Hui Yuan. Generally, a second interview is conducted after the exam.
The above exams mainly focus on eight-part essay and poetry. The title of the eight-part essay comes from the four books and five classics, which is slightly similar to the Confucian classics in the Song Dynasty, but the wording should be the tone of the ancients, the so-called generation of sages. The structure has certain procedures, the number of words is limited, and the syntax requires parallelism, also known as eight-part essay, current essay, current essay and craft.
Palace examination is the emperor's main exam. Gong took part in the court examination, and was collectively referred to as Jinshi after being in the middle. Three-level admission to the Palace Examination. First-class Jinshi and second-class Jinshi, third-class Jinshi and fellow Jinshi. A third-class admission, the first class is commonly known as the champion, the second class is commonly known as the champion, and the third class is commonly known as Tan Hua, collectively known as Sandingjia.
The champion was edited by imperial academy, and the second prize and Flower Exploration were edited by imperial academy. The rest of the Jinshi took the imperial examination again. The Jinshi who was good at literature and calligraphy was elected as Jishi Shu, and the rest were awarded to the headmaster (staff of various ministries) and magistrate of a county (in fact, to obtain the positions of headmaster and magistrate of a county, candidates and candidates are needed, and they are not allowed to be officials for life). Jishi Shu was specially appointed in imperial academy. Those who achieved excellent results were awarded to the Academy for editing (originally the second edition was awarded to the Academy for editing, originally the third edition was awarded to the Academy for editing), and the rest were assigned to the ministries as principals, or to the provinces as county heads ...... "Fan Jin Reunion" was selected from the third episode of The Scholars, "Zhou Xuedao was a scholar with talent, and Hu's murder was good news". First, two students were tested. After two tests, the third test was conducted by young students in Nanhai and Panyu counties. Among the young students is Jin Fan. After taking the exam, Jin Fan went to school and won the first prize. People call him "xianggong" After Jin Fan entered the school, he wanted to further test candidates. After being admitted to Juren, people will call him a "master". Zhongju is a process of imperial examination.
The imperial examination system in Qing dynasty was divided into two stages, one was the preliminary examination of the imperial examination, and the other was the formal examination of the imperial examination. There are three kinds of preparatory examinations for imperial examinations, one is called children's examination and the other is called science examination. Children's exams are often called quizzes. When a boy begins to take the first test, he is called a "boy". After an exam, I was elected in the county, and then I went to the inspector to take the exam. Passing the inspector's exam can be called a "scholar". Jin Fan was a boy for many years, and finally he was admitted to a scholar. The scholar takes the exam once a year, which is also a process of selecting the best. This is the so-called "year-old exam". Every three years, he takes a big exam called "Subject Examination". Take the exam once every three years, mainly to recommend the qualification of juren exam and pass the nomination of this exam.
Then there is the official examination of the imperial examination, which also includes three types: after having obtained the provincial examination, general examination and palace examination. After having obtained the provincial examination, it is called Juren, and Juren is actually an alternate official who is qualified to be an official. According to the imperial examination system in Qing dynasty, juren can register with the official department and obtain a certain official position. About 40 people arrive at 130 people every year. There are few places on the jury, so there are even fewer people waiting to be an official on the jury, so there are often alternate officers. This is the first provincial examination, followed by the provincial examination, held in February of the following year. The provincial examination was completed in August of the first year, and it was spring in February of the second year. I will take the exam in Beijing. There are about 300 scholars every year. After the final exam, in the second month after the final exam, about April, there will be the third exam, the palace exam. The court exam is that the emperor himself takes the exam in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. After the exam, he was appointed as a scholar and can be an official directly. This is the imperial examination system in the Qing Dynasty, and a very strict imperial examination system has been formed since the Ming Dynasty.
The content of the imperial examination is mainly stereotyped writing. The contents of stereotyped writing are mainly classics, poems, books, rites, changes, spring and autumn. The title and writing method are all in a certain format. Stereotyped writing has four paragraphs, each of which has a parallel sentence and a parallel paragraph, called four strokes, and later called stereotyped writing. Can the imperial examination be promoted? Therefore, the novel says: "Now the emperor values articles, so it goes without saying that the Han and Tang Dynasties." "Han" refers to the articles of the Han Dynasty, and "Tang" refers to Tang poetry. The articles in the Han Dynasty and the poems and songs in the Tang Dynasty were not as important as the eight-part essay valued by the emperor today, which was very important at that time. So people at that time were committed to eight-part essay, only.