In fact, when Confucianism was popular, ancient scholars had already found the direction of reading. The so-called "ruling the country and leveling the world" is actually the universal ideal of ancient scholars. But the author thinks that most ancient scholars have impure aims.
"Zhuangzi in the Coffin" said: "Therefore, the sage lies under the rock, and the king of Wan Cheng worries about the temple."
Virtuous people are generally "far away from the rivers and lakes", and only kings worry about the temple all their lives. This is actually a supreme realm of many ancient literati. But there are very few things that can really be done.
On the other hand, many scholars who lived in feudal society not only longed for the imperial examination, but also took entering the DPRK as their creed. Especially in the Tang and Song Dynasties, the imperial examination system became more and more mature, and the ideal of people who read more books was "to learn the Tao when they were young, to be strong and to do it, to be superior to the monarch and inferior to the people."
Especially in the Tang Dynasty, all ethnic groups came to North Korea, under the vigorous propaganda of the rulers and under the background of unprecedented economic and cultural prosperity. Scholars in the Tang Dynasty regarded "being king above and serving the people below" as the best choice in life, so many famous ministers were born in this period.
However, although the imperial examination has created opportunities for the middle and lower classes, not everyone can win the championship in one fell swoop. Can't you be an official if you fail the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty? Obviously, the imperial examination is not the only way to be an official.
Several Necessary Roads for Being an Official in Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was a prosperous dynasty in the ancient history of China, and its political, economic and cultural development reached the leading position in the world. In particular, the development of science and technology was enough to shock the dynasties of ancient society. Under the influence of a prosperous scene, the literati living in the Tang Dynasty also ushered in an unprecedented dawn.
Due to the frequent foreign exchange activities in the Tang Dynasty, many Southeast Asian countries followed suit. Therefore, during this period, the political system, economic model and cultural thought of the Tang Dynasty were all in the role of output. Many relatively weak countries not only paid tribute to the Tang Dynasty, but also imported "envoys in the Tang Dynasty" many times.
And there are many so-called "foreigners" who used to be officials of the central government of the Tang Dynasty. Under the influence of this environment, all the literati living in the areas ruled by the Tang Dynasty regarded being an official in North Korea as their first priority in life. In addition, the imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty has matured.
Therefore, a large number of middle and lower literati achieved the goal of being an official through the imperial examination. Moreover, the Tang Dynasty also produced the first champion and ternary sum in the history of China. This has greatly inspired many scholars. But the imperial examination was not the only way to be an official in the Tang Dynasty.
1. Imperial Examination
(1) the development history of imperial examination system
From the beginning of imperial examination system to the end of the last imperial examination system. The * * * has gone through dozens of dynasties, with a history of about 1300 years. As a necessary means for ancient rulers to select officials, this system has penetrated into the bone marrow of ancient scholars from the "tea ceremony" in Han Dynasty to the imperial examination in Sui and Tang Dynasties.
As a special product of feudal society, the imperial examination system has a vitality of more than 1,300 years and should be closely related to its "relatively fair" examination system.
Because of the so-called "imperial examination system" before the Tang Dynasty, or it can also be called "imperial examination". If there are no students who want to sign up for reference, the five-product officer is not qualified to take the exam at all.
(2) The imperial examination system in Tang Dynasty.
However, after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, the examination system was systematically reformed. One of the most important reform measures is to abolish the system of "officials recommending" students. Instead, people in the middle and lower classes can register for the imperial examination through individuals without recommendation.
It can be said that this imperial examination reform not only provided more people with opportunities to enter the ruling class. At the same time, it also weakened the rights of the aristocratic class to a certain extent and strengthened the centralized system or monarchy. At this point, talents from all levels of society began to appear above the temple. They made a very positive contribution to the development of feudal society.
As a talent selection mechanism in feudal society, imperial examination is based on "relative fairness". It actually provided very necessary conditions for the feudal ruling class to expand the talent pool.
It can be said that the birth of the imperial examination system is definitely a multi-objective favorable policy. Of course not, otherwise there are certain limitations and backwardness.
The author thinks that the imperial examination system in feudal society was the most incisive in the Tang and Song Dynasties. Because this system aimed at selecting talents from all walks of life not only showed great vitality in the Tang and Song Dynasties. At the same time, it also played a very positive and progressive role in the political development of Tang and Song Dynasties.
2. Join the army and build a reputation.
The poetry culture in the Tang Dynasty was extremely prosperous, except for the romantic poetry school headed by Li Bai. There are also frontier poets represented by Wang Changling, Wang Zhihuan, Gao Shi and Cen Can. These people all have the experience of joining the army and frontier fortress, and even some frontier fortress poets have the opportunity to become officials of the Tang Dynasty because they worked as aides in frontier fortress barracks.
If this kind of experience is summed up in simpler language, it is actually to gain fame by joining the army with military exploits. This way of being an official belongs to the martial way, in other words, it is to exchange military exploits and one's own life for official positions. In fact, all previous dynasties have such a way to be an official. It's just that some people just gild, and some people really work hard for the country and the people.
Enter the shogunate
The original meaning of "shogunate" is actually a camp established by military commanders in ancient society because of the need of troops going out to war. Later, it gradually extended to the general's office, referring to the general himself. From the root, the shogunate system in the Tang Dynasty was actually a practice of splitting imperial power. Under normal circumstances, only government officials, powerful ministers or so-called "military commanders" are qualified and entitled to establish shogunate.
After the establishment of the shogunate, you can recruit your own cronies or scholars, especially those who are capable and prestigious. Many poets in the Tang Dynasty used to be aides, such as Du Fu, Li Shangyin, Wang Wei and even Li Bai. Their main duty in the shogunate is "consultant".
Many so-called aides become justified officials because they have the opportunity to be included in the formal official system, so they will spare no effort to call the corresponding shogunate. But in essence, the staff does not become a full member, which is actually far from the official.
4. Dedicate yourself to official positions
The so-called "offering gifts for officials" means that some celebrities in the Tang Dynasty want to win the favor of the rulers through their own talents. Therefore, the so-called "prose" will come into being, which is usually a parallel prose or poem praising virtue. Li Bai, Du Fu and others, the great poets in the Tang Dynasty, all obtained their official positions through "offering gifts for officials".
Although Li Bai only obtained an official position of "offering a gift to an official", he was nominally a "scholar for imperial use". He not only wants to write some poems for the emperor or the concubines in the harem. He was also responsible for drafting imperial edicts and helping the emperor deal with daily official documents.
Step 5 roam or cruise
Ancient literati all had the experience of traveling abroad. So "roaming" or "excellent tour" actually refers to visiting famous mountains and rivers, and getting to know officials or celebrities in the process. This will not only enhance your personal influence, but even become an official in the Tang Dynasty if you meet someone who appreciates your talent.
In fact, it was very popular in the Tang Dynasty to obtain official positions through "roaming" or "traveling". At that time, many great poets got a part-time job in this way. Moreover, in the process of roaming mountains and rivers, you can also cultivate your personal temperament and improve your popularity, which also plays a very important role in the spread of poets' poems.
6. Official recommendation
Although in the Tang dynasty, as long as individuals have the ability, they can directly pass the imperial examination to achieve the purpose of becoming an official in the DPRK. However, because many people try again and again, or offend some officials, the road of taking the official position in the imperial examination will not work.
So I can only "pay my respects" everywhere, that is, visit some well-known officials or celebrities and ask them to help me recommend myself as an official.
In fact, this way of being an official in the DPRK was actually very common in Tang society. Many famous poets or scholars became officials of the Tang Dynasty in this way. Even some well-known officials in the eyes of the later world were introduced or recommended by others, so that they could play their personal talents in politics.
7. hide for the official.
Tao Yuanming, who recites "Picking chrysanthemums under the east fence and seeing Nanshan leisurely", should be the first hermit in the ancient history of China. In fact, the so-called hermits all have some similarities, such as being excluded by their colleagues or persecuted by their rulers; Or it is difficult to realize one's political ideal in officialdom. Of course, there are also a lot of people trying again and again.
Therefore, ancient literati mostly lived in seclusion in famous mountains and rivers or quiet mountain villages in the name of "hermits". In fact, the so-called "seclusion" is just a routine of seeking official positions by retreating. Moreover, hermits and roaming for official positions mainly enhance their personal reputation first.
Then get the appreciation of the rulers or those in power through personal fame, so that you can successfully enter the DPRK as an official. It can be said that these two ways are excellent ways for scholars to be officials in the Tang Dynasty. Because he has gained a good reputation and achieved the goal of being an official, he is really killing two birds with one stone, best laid plans.
8. Emperor's preference
In the Tang Dynasty, there were many literati favored by the emperor, such as Li Bai, the "Poet Fairy", and He Yong, who wrote the poem "Liu Yong". In fact, it was like this that I didn't become an official until the Tang Dynasty. It can be said that it is not difficult to get an official position in this way in the Tang society with unprecedented prosperity of Tang poetry culture.
However, some people, despite their brilliant talents, lingered outside the gate of the Tang court for a long time because of their repeated trials or suffering from unappreciation. Du Fu, known as "Poet Saint", is such a tragic genius. Although I am full of knowledge, I will die alone in the end.
No matter how you enter the DPRK as an official, "Golden House", "Millet of Thousand Bells" and "Yan Ruyu" will all be in your pocket, and you can always enjoy your old age. Because the officials in the Tang Dynasty did not retire, the treatment of these people would always exist only when they were dismissed or voluntarily "retired to their hometowns".
conclusion
Although the imperial examination system was based on "eight-part essay selecting scholars", it was influenced by feudal system. This relatively fair talent selection mechanism actually provided opportunities for many literati living in the middle and lower classes of the Tang Dynasty to become officials in the DPRK. At the same time, it also changed the tendency of political rights in the Tang Dynasty to some extent.
Although the imperial examination system is not the only way to be an official, in the eyes of the ancients, this way of relying on personal ability to enter the scholar in one fell swoop was favored or respected by scholars at that time.
Although you can be an official by virtue of your personal prestige, poetry title and virtue, you will always leave a feeling or impression that you have no real talent and knowledge.