The original purpose of the imperial examination was to promote talents for the government from the people. Compared with hereditary and recommendation system, imperial examination is undoubtedly a fair, open and just method, which improves the employment system. At first, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam in East Asia held imperial examinations in China, and Vietnam abolished the imperial examinations after China. 16 and 17 centuries, European missionaries saw China's imperial examination system and introduced it to Europe in their travel notes. /kloc-During the Enlightenment in the 8th century, many British and French thinkers praised China's fair and just system. /kloc-The civil service recruitment method established in Britain in the middle and late 9th century stipulated that government civil servants should be recruited through regular public examinations, and gradually formed a civil service system that was imitated by European and American countries. The examination principles and methods adopted by the British civil service system are very similar to those adopted by China Imperial Examination, which absorbed the advantages of Imperial Examination to a great extent. So some people call the imperial examination the fifth invention of Chinese civilization. Today's examination system is a continuation of the imperial examination system to a certain extent.
Since the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination has been conducted regardless of birth, wealth or poverty. This not only greatly broadens the basis for the government to select talents, but also gives middle and lower-level intellectuals the opportunity to go to the upper level of society through scientific research. This policy has played a considerable role in maintaining the stability of the whole society. Nearly half of the scholars in Ming and Qing dynasties were "poor families" whose ancestors did not study, or although they studied, they did not become officials. But as long as you can "climb the dragon gate", you will naturally be "worth ten times". Over the years, thousands of students have bowed their heads as willing cows, hoping to become famous and honor their ancestors. It can be said that imperial examination is an effective way to network and control scholars to consolidate rule.
The imperial examination excavated and trained a large number of talents for the dynasties of China. 1300 years, the imperial examination produced nearly100000 scholars and millions of scholars. Of course, not everyone is a man of insight, but most of them are not idle. During the Song, Ming and Qing Dynasties, among the famous officials of the Han people and the pillars of the country, most of them came from Jinshi. The practice after Yingzong in the Ming Dynasty was "no scholar, no academician, no cabinet", and the imperial examination became the only way for senior officials. Matteo Ricci came to China in the middle of Ming Dynasty, and the scholar-officials in charge of governing the whole country were produced by the imperial examination system.
The imperial examination also played a considerable role in promoting the popularization of knowledge and the folk reading atmosphere. Although this promotion is due to the pursuit of fame by ordinary people, rather than the desire for knowledge or spirituality; But objectively, China's writing style has been generally improved, because the imperial examination has become a fashion. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the number of scholars in China was not less than 500,000 most of the time. Including children, there are millions. Except for a few who can further their careers, most of them have become grassroots intellectuals living in various places, which has played a certain role in popularizing knowledge. Moreover, because these scholars are the products of the same system, they all learn the same "sage book", which indirectly maintains the unity and centripetal force of cultures and ideas in all parts of China.
The adverse effects of the imperial examination mainly lie in the content and form of the examination. Since the Ming Dynasty, the content of imperial examinations has become rigid, requiring only candidates to create articles that conform to the form, without paying attention to the actual knowledge of candidates. In order to take the exam for science, most scholars' thoughts are gradually lost in the narrow four books and five classics and pedantic eight-part essay. 2? 8; Both vision, creativity and independent thinking are greatly limited. The only purpose of most people studying is to pass the scientific examination, while studying is only to be an official and to worship their ancestors. In addition, the imperial examination also limited the way out for talents. By the Qing Dynasty, most famous artists who had made outstanding achievements in literary creation or various technologies were frustrated in the examination hall. It can be inferred that the imperial examination system not only excavated talents for the government, but also buried outstanding talents in other fields; For a century, all kinds of elites have been trapped in the examination room and wasted their time. In order to enslave the Han people, the Qing government imposed strict restrictions on the contents of the imperial examinations. The imperial examination system in Qing dynasty declined gradually, with more and more disadvantages. Although the Qing rulers cheated on the imperial examination center in hell to pay, due to the defects of the imperial examination system itself, cheating became more and more serious, and the imperial examination system eventually died out.
Even after the imperial examination was abolished, it still left many traces in China society. For example, the Provisional Constitution of the Republic of China, which was founded by Sun Yat-sen, stipulated the separation of five powers, and the "examination institute" among them originated from the imperial examination tradition in China. In addition, some habits of imperial examinations can still be seen in the college entrance examination in Chinese mainland. For example, admission by province, binding the test paper head with the identity information of candidates, preventing collusion between examiners and candidates, and calling the highest score in the college entrance examination the number one scholar, etc. , are the remnants of the imperial examination.