In the imperial examinations in ancient China, 17 people passed the third grade, and they were the 14th in liberal arts:
Zhang Youxin, Wu Yihuang, and Cui Yuanhan of the Tang Dynasty;
Sun He, Wang Zeng, Song Xiang, Yang Chi, Wang Yansou[3], and Feng Jing in the Song Dynasty;
Meng Songxian in the Jin Dynasty;
Wang Zongzhe of the Yuan Dynasty;
Huang Guan and Shang Ren of the Ming Dynasty;
Qian Qi and Chen Jichang of the Qing Dynasty.
In addition, there have been three "Wu Sanyuan" in history.
The first is Yin Feng during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. He was awarded three yuan in the military department of Lienzhong and was worshiped as a general. He assisted Yu Dayou in the anti-Japanese war along the coasts of Fujian and Zhejiang and made many military exploits. Today, it is preserved in Nanjing’s “Sanyuan Lane” as a commemoration.
The second is that during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, Wang Mingshi, a native of Yongjia, Zhejiang, was awarded three yuan in martial arts in Lianzhong, and was awarded the imperial title of guarding thousands of households. He was well versed in classics and history, and was good at poetry and calligraphy. People at the time called his martial arts, poetry, and calligraphy the "Three Wonders." What is particularly commendable is that he has a strong character, does not flatter the powerful, and is quite a straightforward gentleman.
The third is Wang Yubi, also from Zhejiang during the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, who won three yuan in the martial arts department. This person took part in the Wu Xiucai examination in the late Ming Dynasty and ranked first in archery. He was known as the "Master Archer", so people praised him as "Wu Siyuan". Although he was born as a warrior, he never let go of the scrolls, his writing was excellent, and he was known as a versatile scholar in both civil and military affairs.