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. In the third year of Yang Di Daye, Emperor Yangdi set up the Jinshi Department, and selected Jinshi through examinations. The word "Jinshi" first appeared in the Book of Rites, which was originally intended to be accepted by nobles. At that time, the main task was to examine current affairs policy, which was about national politics at that time.
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Political papers in this field are called trial strategies. Although it was a pioneering period, there was no system, but this method of selecting candidates by subjects and trying to choose by strategy closely combined reading, taking exams and being an official, which opened a new page in the election history of China. Shen Jiji, the minister of rites in Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, made a pertinent evaluation of this historic change: "All the choices made in the previous generation were in prefectures and counties ... As for Qi and Sui, they were invincible ... and they were attributed to the official department because they had the right to buy state capitals. Since then, we have selected from outside, recruited people from all over the world, gathered in the capital in the spring and autumn, and gathered 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. Examination subjects in the Tang Dynasty are divided into two categories: regular subjects and system subjects. The exams held in stages every year are called regular classes, and the temporary exams held by the emperor are called making classes.
There are more than 50 regular subjects such as Scholar, Ming Jing, Jinshi, Gentleman, Faming, Zi Ming and Shu Ming. Among them, Faming, Shu Ming, Ziming and other subjects are not taken seriously. Scholar and other subjects are not often held, and the scholar subject was very demanding in the early Tang Dynasty, and then it was gradually cancelled. Therefore, Ming Jing and Jinshi became the main subjects in the Tang Dynasty. After Tang Gaozong, Jinshi is particularly important. Many prime ministers in the Tang Dynasty were mostly literati. There are two sources of candidates for regular courses, one is students and the other is rural tribute. Subjects who were born in the capital and state and county academies and sent to Shangshu Province are called students; Not by the school hall, but by the state and county examination first, and then sent to Shangshu Province, the candidates are called "xianggong". Candidates who pay tribute to Beijing from rural areas are collectively referred to as juren. The state and county exams are called solution exams, and the provincial exams of Shangshu are generally called provincial exams, or they are not tested. Ritual exams are held in spring, so they are also called Chunwei, which means examination room.
At first, Ming Jing and Jinshi were just trying strategies, and the content of the exam was Jing Yi or current affairs. Later, although the examination subjects of the two subjects changed, the basic spirit was that scholars paid more attention to poetry and fu, and Ming Classics paid more attention to classics and ink meaning. The so-called paste is to open a page of scripture at will, cover the left and right sides, only open a line in the middle, and then cover the three words with paper paste for participants to fill in. Mo Yi is a simple written test of biblical words. As long as you are familiar with classics and annotations, you can try, while poetry and prose need to be literary. It is very difficult to be the first in the middle school, so there was a saying at that time that "30-year-old students learn classics and 50-year-old students learn less".
The final exam was originally presided over by the official minister and foreign minister, and later presided over by the assistant minister of does, known as "Quan Zhi Gong Ju". Jinshi is also called "climbing the dragon gate", and the first name is the champion or champion. People in the same list should chip in to hold a celebration party, and let the two teenagers in the same list go to the famous garden to explore famous flowers, called flower-exploring messengers. We should collectively go to the apricot garden to attend a banquet, which is called a flower-exploring banquet. After the banquet, they all went to Ji 'en Temple to write the title of Big Wild Goose Pagoda to show their glory, so they called the China scholar "The Title of Big Wild Goose Pagoda". Jiao once wrote the poem "After Graduation": "Proud horseshoe disease, I have seen Chang 'an flowers." Therefore, the spring breeze has become synonymous with Jinshi and it. Deng Ke is often the first, and it is also tested by the official department, which is called the selection examination. Only qualified people can be awarded official positions. Liu Zongyuan, a great scholar in the Tang Dynasty, was awarded "Jixiantang Orthography" because of his erudition. If the official department fails in the exam, it can only go to our department as an adjutant, and then strive to get an official position officially appointed by the state. After Han Yu's Jinshi exam, he failed three times, so he had to be the adjutant of our times before he entered the officialdom.
The draft in the Tang Dynasty depends not only on the test results, but also on the recommendations of various people. As a result, candidates rushed to the doors of officials and dedicated their masterpieces to them, calling them papers. What is thrown to does is called official paper, and what is thrown to dignitaries is called writing paper. Throwing papers really makes talented people show their talents. For example, Bai Juyi's poem "Give Grass to the Original" to Gu Kuang was highly praised by the old poet. However, there are also many people who practise fraud and deceive the world.
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 also appeared. Wushu began in 702 AD when Wu Zetian was in Chang 'an for two years. Ying Wuju candidates are "xianggong", Ministry of War examination. The examination subjects include horse shooting, step shooting, flat shooting, carbine, weight bearing and so on. "The person with the highest ranking is awarded an official position and then promoted to a higher level."
Song dynasty: the reform period of ancient Chinese imperial examination system
The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were basically the same as those in the Tang Dynasty, including general subjects, compulsory subjects and martial arts subjects. In contrast, the number of regular 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 prime ministers, so the Song people took Jinshi as prime ministers. Lu Song Zuqian said: "The subjects of Jinshi are often the same and extremely obvious." At that time, there was the language of burning incense and Jinshi. Except for Jinshi, other subjects are collectively referred to as subjects. The imperial examinations in Song Dynasty were greatly reformed in form and content.
First of all, the imperial examination in Song Dynasty broadened the scope and function of admission. Jinshi in Song Dynasty was divided into three classes: the first class was called Jinshi, etc. Second-class said that Jinshi was born; A third-class scholar. Due to the expansion of the admission scope, the number of places has also doubled. In the Tang Dynasty, there were no more than 20 or 30 scholars, ranging from a few to more than a dozen. As many as 200 to 300 people, or even 500 to 600 people, were admitted at one time in the Song Dynasty. Candidates who fail the exam repeatedly are allowed to sign up for the attached exam when they meet the emperor's exam, which is called the special name. You can also ask the emperor to have mercy, grant birth qualifications and appoint officials to set a precedent for future generations.
The Song Dynasty established a three-level examination system once every three years. There was only a two-level examination system in the early Song Dynasty. The first level is the solution exam held by each state, and the first level is the provincial exam held by the Ministry of Rites. In order to select talents who were really down-to-earth under feudal rule to serve them, Song Taizu conducted the imperial examination in Kaibao for six years. Since then, palace examination has become the highest-level examination in the imperial examination system, and a three-level imperial examination system of national examination, provincial examination and palace examination has been formally established. After the court examination, you don't need to pass the official examination, and you can directly award the official. Song Taizu also ordered that after the examination, no examiner should be called a master, and no one should call himself a protege. In this way, all the people became disciples of the son of heaven. The court exam ranked in the top three. After the Southern Song Dynasty, the emperor announced the ranking of Jinshi in the imperial examination and hosted a banquet for Qiongyuan, so it was called Qionglin Banquet, which was followed and customized by later generations. The imperial examination in Song Dynasty was once a year at first, sometimes once a year or twice a year. It took three years for Yingzong to officially make it once every three years. Every autumn, each state takes the exam once, and the next spring, the exam is conducted by the Ministry of Ritual. Palace examination and provincial examination were conducted in the same year.
Since the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination began to be decorated with names and honors, and a new system to prevent favoritism and malpractice was established. Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the phenomenon of favoritism and malpractice has become more and more serious. In this regard, the rulers of the Song Dynasty took some measures, mainly to establish a paste name and reputation record system. Sticking the name means sealing the candidate's name and place of origin on the test paper, which is also called "seal" or "seal". In Song Taizong, according to Chen Jing's suggestion, the court examination was given a paste name system. Later, Song Renzong's provincial and state examinations implemented a paste name system. But after posting the name, you can also know calligraphy and painting. According to Li Yibin, a native of Yuanzhou, candidates' papers will be recorded separately. When marking papers, examiners not only know the names of candidates, but also can't recognize their handwriting. This system has really played a great role in preventing examiners from favoritism. However, at the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, due to the increasingly corrupt politics, this system became a mere formality. The reform of examination form in Song Dynasty not only did not get rid of the chronic disease of imperial examination, but made it worse.
The imperial examination in the Song Dynasty also made great reforms in the examination content. The imperial examination in Song Dynasty basically followed the Tang system, and the imperial examination for scholars was accompanied by classics, ink, poetry and fu, which had great disadvantages. Scholars take phonology as their service, ignorant in ancient and modern times; Ming Jing only memorizes and recites widely, but its meaning is useless learning. After Wang Anshi took part in politics, he began to reform the contents of the imperial examination, abolish poetry and fu, attach classics and ink meaning, and pay attention to selecting scholars through righteousness, reason and strategy. The so-called Confucian classics, similar to theory, is a short essay, which is limited to using the sentences in Confucian classics as the topic and using the meaning in Confucian classics to play. Wang Anshi's reform of examination content lies in the application of Confucian classics. In the eighth year of Xining, Zongshen ordered the abolition of poetry and fu, the pasting of classics, and the selection of scholars by ink, and awarded Wang Anshi's "Three Classics and New Meanings" to discuss the selection of scholars. The Book of Changes, The Book of Songs, The Book of Songs, The Rites of Zhou and The Book of Rites are called "The Great Classics", while The Analects of Confucius and Mencius are called "Concurrent Classics" and are designated as the required reading books for candidates. It is stipulated that there are four examinations for Jinshi: one is the Great Classics, the other is the Two Classics, the third is the Theory, and the last is the Strategy. The palace exam is limited to 1000 words or more. Wang Anshi's political reform was opposed by Su Shi and others. Later, with the change of political struggle, the new meanings of the Three Classics were cancelled, and sometimes poetry and prose were tested, sometimes classics were tested, and sometimes both were changed.
Ming dynasty: the heyday of ancient Chinese imperial examination system
Since the Yuan Dynasty, Mongols ruled the Central Plains, and the imperial examinations entered a middle and low period. However, it is a precedent set by the Yuan Dynasty to test scholars with four books.
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. People who entered imperial academy to study in the Ming Dynasty were generally called Guo Jianzi. There are generally four kinds of supervisors: those who send students to prison for study, those who send bureaucratic children to prison, those who send people to prison, and those who donate money to prison. Guo-zi-jian diploma can be an official directly. Especially in the early Ming Dynasty, many officials were appointed by Guo Jianzi as central and local officials. After the Ming Dynasty became a ancestor, Guo Jianzi had fewer and fewer opportunities to be an official directly, but he could directly take the provincial examination and pass the imperial examination to become an official.
In addition to the students in Guo Jian, there are also those who take the imperial examinations in the provincial examinations. Only when you enter school and become a student can you go to prison or become a student in the imperial examination. Guanzhou County School in Ming Dynasty is called County School or Confucianism. Those who pass the examinations at all levels in this province and enter government, state and county schools are generally called students and scholars. The entrance examination for obtaining students' qualifications is called children's examination, also known as test or test. Delivery test includes three stages: county test, government test and hospital test. The college examination is presided over by the provincial academic affairs office, also known as the prefect college, so it is called the college examination. Those who pass the college entrance examination are called students, and then they are divided into official, state and county schools to study. Students are divided into three grades: students, students, and students. The food provided by the government is called foodie, or foodie for short. Those who increase beyond the quota are called co-opted students, and the branch is called proliferation; In addition to the growth of students, the number of places will be increased, which is attached to the end of students and is called an attached student, and the branch is called an attached student. Getting a bachelor's degree is the starting point of fame. On the one hand, students from schools in various prefectures, prefectures and counties were selected as palace students, and they could go directly to imperial academy to become children. 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 the results. Ranked first and second in scientific research, those who are eligible to take the provincial examination are called imperial examination students. Therefore, admission is the first level of the imperial examination ladder.
The official imperial examinations in the Ming Dynasty were divided into three grades: after having obtained a local examination, the senior high school entrance examination and palace examination. The rural examination is a local examination held by the southern and northern Zhili provinces and ministries. The location is in the south, where the Beijing government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are stationed. Held once every three years, it is every child, noon, Mao, and unitary years, also known as. The examination place is called Gong Yuan. The examination period is in August of autumn, so it is also called Autumn Wei. Candidates and invigilators in this province can take the exam. There are two examiners, four co-examiners, one transfer, and several other officials who preside over the provincial examination. The exam was divided into three sessions, which were held on August 9th,12nd and15th respectively. Jurors in rural areas are commonly known as Lian Xiao, and their first name is Xie Yuan. Tang Bohu was named Tang Jieyuan because he ranked first in the provincial examination. After passing the provincial examination, it is called B list, also called B section. When the list was released, it coincided with the fragrance of osmanthus, so it was also called Guibang. After the announcement, the governor presided over a banquet. During the dinner, Luming Literature was sung and Kuixing Dance was performed.
The examination is a national examination presided over by the Ministry of Rites, also known as the Ministry of Rites. It was held in the second year of the rural examination, that is, every day, every day and every year. The national juren will take the exam in Beijing, and the exam time is in February of spring, so it is called the end of spring. There are also three exams, held on February 9th,12nd and15th. Because the final exam is a higher-level exam, the number of examiners is twice that of the provincial exam. Officials such as examiners, examiners and transfer officials are all senior officials. The examiner is called the chairman, also known as the seat owner or seat teacher. Gong, commonly known as Gong Chu, is called Mingjing, and his first name is Huiyuan.
The palace exam was held in the same year after the meeting, and the time was originally the first day of March. Ming Xianzong changed to March 15th from eight years ago. The candidate is Gong. The palace test did not fail, but was rescheduled by the emperor. The court exam was presided over by Angel, who only took the current affairs exam. After the palace exam, I will read the papers the next day and release the results the next day. Admission is divided into three classes: first-class and third-class, respectively, for Jinshi and top scholar Ding, runner-up and flower exploration runner-up, collectively known as Sandingjia. Second, I am a scholar, and third, I am a scholar. Second, the first of the top three is called biography. A, B and A are collectively referred to as Jinshi. Jinshi list is called Jiabang, or Jiake. The Jinshi list is written in yellow paper, so it is called Huang Jia, also known as the Golden List, and the sergeant base is called the champion.
After having obtained the provincial examination, the first place was Xie Yuan, and the first place was Hui Yuan. Together with the number one scholar in the palace examination, it is called the three principles. Three yuan in a row is a much-told story in the imperial examination field. In the Ming Dynasty, only Guan Xu in Hongwu period and Shang Lu in orthodox period participated in the tripartite confrontation.
After the court examination, the champion awarded imperial academy the editor-in-chief, the second prize and the flower detective editor-in-chief. The rest of the Jinshi passed the exam, known as Jishi Shu of the Imperial Academy. Three years later, those who pass the examination are awarded the positions of editor, reviewer and so on, and the rest are assigned to the ministries as directors, or the magistrate of a county gives priority to employment, which is called scattered libraries. People born in Jishi Shu are promoted very quickly. After Yingzong, the imperial court formed a situation that Jinshi or Hanlin did not enter the cabinet.
Eight-part essay in the first session of the rural examination and unified examination in Ming Dynasty. Whether you can be admitted 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 takes the sentences in the Four Books and Five Classics as the topic, and can only explain the meaning 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 certain procedures, the number of words is limited, and the syntax requires duality. Eight-part essay is also called Zhi Yi, Zhi Yi, Shi Wen, Barbie and Si. Eight-part essay is an article composed of eight pairs, generally divided into six paragraphs. Use the first sentence to solve the problem, two sentences to bear the problem, and then explain the reason, that is, the origin. The main part of the eight-part essay consists of four parts: initial sharing, middle sharing, post-sharing and binding sharing, each of which has two paragraphs. At the end of the article, a big knot is used, which is called a big knot. Eight-part essay evolved from Confucian classics in Song Dynasty. Eight-part essay is extremely harmful and seriously binds people's thoughts. It is a tool to maintain feudal autocracy, and it also leads 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 essay is flourishing, six classics are weak, eighteen scholars are flourishing, and twenty-one histories are abolished." He added, "I think stereotyped writing 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 enjoys a special advantage in the provincial examination and the general examination, and only one translator is tested, which is called the translation department. In the future, although Manchu and Chinese took the exam together, Han people still took the most exams.
The imperial examination system developed to the Qing dynasty, and it declined day by day, with more and more disadvantages. Although the Qing rulers severely punished cheating in the imperial examination, cheating became more and more serious due to the shortcomings of the imperial examination system itself, and the imperial examination system eventually died out.