The four great joys in life of the ancients: A long drought brings rain, and meeting an old friend in a foreign land. It's a night of flowers and candles in the bridal chamber, and the names on the gold list are . However, the first three may be much easier to achieve than "Golden List Title" . After all, it was very difficult to obtain a meritorious title in ancient times, and it was even more difficult to become a top scholar.
- First let’s look at who is eligible to take the exam?
As a civil service selection system, the imperial examination allowed scholars to "submit ultimatums and apply for the examination freely", which made the traditional Chinese regime show a certain degree of openness, but not everyone in society could apply for it. The dynasty has varying degrees of restrictions on qualifications.
The restriction on qualifications for the scientific examination was in the Sui Dynasty, which initiated the imperial examination system. It was expressly stipulated that "Industry and businessmen are not allowed to enter officialdom" . This provision actually disqualifies business people from being elected.
In Tang Dynasty , whether it was recommended by the township tribute or the academy, all focused on policy review. Anyone who has violated the law, is a son of industry and commerce, a state or county official, or has a reputation that is unworthy of his reputation, must not be recommended.
In the Song Dynasty, also stipulated that anyone in the family who had committed a capital crime within the emperor, "and those who were unfilial, disloyal, concealed business aliens, monks and secular people" were not allowed to take the imperial examination . In addition, People with disabilities or are not allowed to apply. If bribery and cheating are found, both the examiner and the supervisor will be punished.
Just as the Tang and Song dynasties restricted some people with unclear family backgrounds from participating in the imperial examinations, the Liao Dynasty also had certain restrictions on the origins of scholars who participated in the imperial examinations. In the 19th year of Chongxi reign of Emperor Xingzong of Liao Dynasty (AD 1050), an edict was issued to doctors, divination, butchers, traders, slaves, and those who had rebellious parents, or those who had committed crimes and fled, were not allowed to be promoted to Jinshi . Emperor Tianzuo, the last monarch of the Liao Dynasty, reiterated in the fifth year of Qiantong (1105 AD) that it was forbidden for merchants to take the Jinshi examination. At the same time, the Liao Dynasty prohibited the children of Khitan from participating in the imperial examination.
Jin Dynasty also made many restrictions on the qualifications for the examination. Before the first year of Taihe (AD 1201) of Emperor Zhang of Jin Dynasty, it was stipulated that "leren" were not allowed to take the examination. Even good men who were exempted from slave status were not allowed to take the imperial examination. At the same time, it was also stipulated that everyone who participated in the imperial examination must have their moral character inspected by local, county or relevant agencies, "the general recommendation system" to ensure the political quality of candidates.
The Yuan Dynasty Imperial Examination stipulated that candidates should be recommended by the provincial examination held in Guanzhou County, and the age limit was 25 years old or above. Applicants must be filial, loyal, and of good conduct, and must be recommended by someone. Those who advocate excellence and those who suffer from disabilities or commit the ten evil crimes are not allowed to take the exam.
The Ming Dynasty had clear restrictions on the qualifications of those who participated in the provincial examination: those who were "guozi students and in-service school disciplines", "dismissed officials", "homes that promote excellence", or those who are living in the country where their parents have died are not allowed Take the exam. Imperial Examination Science and Examination Culture. In the fourth year of Jingtai (AD 1453), the imperial court strictly prohibited the children of serving officials from taking the exam under false pretenses.
is basically the same as that in the Ming Dynasty. In order to ensure that candidates have "clean origins", in the ninth year of Shunzhi (AD 1652), the imperial court stipulated that: "comes from a family of outstanding, advocating, and subordinate soldiers, and those who have committed crimes such as reform, name change, etc. Go out and strictly enforce reforms."
Looking at the regulations on examination qualification restrictions in various dynasties, there are 7 categories of people who are usually not allowed to participate in the imperial examination: (1) Miscellaneous industrial and commercial categories; (2) Prostitutes and untouchables; (3) ) is in mourning; (4) has violated criminal liability; (5) is a subordinate; (6) , monk, ; (7) woman . In addition to the regulations on the identity and occupation of the candidates, there are also specific requirements on the candidates' conduct and physical health. According to the regulations, some candidates with humble background, poor conduct, and physical disabilities will not be qualified to take the imperial examination.
However, in the long history, there has been a misalignment between the system and the reality. These restrictive measures have not been truly implemented. Some dynasty laws stipulated that industrial and commercial, junior staff, and other scholars who were not allowed to enter the officialdom were also admitted.Most of these people fake their origins through (). There are several modes. One is to directly adopt their own to other people's homes. The second is to transform the experiences of their ancestors. The third is to make up the names of their ancestors or even identify them. Participate illegally in a way that others are ancestors).
How to control the origin of reference candidates? The government has introduced two policies: First, it stipulates that candidates can only take the child examination in their place of origin. This principle of taking exams nearby can help the court better control the source of students and make it easier for most students to take exams. Moreover, when taking the exam, you must have a scholar guarantee.
Xiu Cai is a person with a special status. Candidates must also guarantee each other. Prevent cheating in the examination room and reports of cheating. Once discovered, the scholar who provided the guarantee will be punished. If something is concealed, students who take the exam together will also suffer.
Generally speaking, in ancient times, those who could participate in the imperial examinations and gain fame were mostly children of the powerful class, and ordinary civilians basically had no chance of taking the imperial examinations. The imperial examination is a means of distributing benefits for the upper class and has little to do with class jumps.
In addition to the restrictions of family background, the difficulty of the imperial examination was even more astonishing. If the modern college entrance examination is a single-plank bridge, then the ancient imperial examination was a steel rope. Why?
Because you have the qualifications to apply, you also need to study the Four Books and Five Classics to become a child student. To take the college examination as a child student, you must pass a three-level exam, that is, County, Prefecture, and Road After the three-level strict examination, the results are divided into six grades. , and the probability of becoming a scholar is about 10% , and some of the remaining children will never make it through their lives.
Historical records: During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty , there were records of many centenarian children taking the academy examination in Guangzhou; the ten percent of people who passed the academy examination were called scholars, and the scholars were eligible to attend county schools or government schools. After obtaining this status, they were eligible to take the formal imperial examination.
If you think that 10% of the people who passed the hospital examination have escaped the sea of suffering, you are wrong. They have just boarded the boat to escape the sea of suffering, but what they have to face is the stormy sea. The formal imperial examination is divided into three levels: rural examination, joint examination and palace examination.
Among them, the rural examination is also called Qiu Wei . Only the provincial imperial examination students and supervisors can take the examination. The admission rate of the rural examination can be understood from Mr. Shang Yanliu said: "The provincial examination is in the middle, according to the style of writing. The level depends on the size of the population and the importance of and Dingfu. ”
That is, the number of places on the list in the rural examination is determined according to the level of literary talent, the number of people, and the proportion of taxes paid by the region. This also leads to some provinces There is only one percent chance of winning the election, and the chance of winning the provincial election is even lower. If you can become one of the one percent to become a Juren, you will be considered to be famous, but you can only be a low-ranking county magistrate. But if you want to become the number one scholar, it will be a long and long road.
The examination is called Chunwei . After passing the examination, you can go to the capital to participate in the examination held every three years. If you pass the examination, you will become the winner of the one hundredth and become a Gongshifang. Qualified to participate in the palace examination.
The imperial examination was presided over by the emperor himself, with the princes and ministers invigilating the examination. Cabinet ministers, Hanlin Academy and other central ministers of the government participated in the execution of matters such as receiving the papers, sealing the seals, collecting the palms, printing the papers, and filling out the results. On the twenty-fifth day after the examination, a passing ceremony was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. After the passing, an edict was issued, and the first person who ranked first would become the number one scholar.
- How difficult is the imperial examination?
. How difficult is it to become a scholar?
Xiucai, a talented person, is an outstanding person among scholars. It is not an easy thing to pass the examination to become a scholar. You must pass three examinations: one in the county, one in the government, and finally one in the provincial academic administration, commonly known as "Little Three Yuan".Scholars were divided into three grades based on test scores and qualifications. Only those who passed the first and second grades could obtain the title of "xiucai".
Each government college takes two exams every three years, and admits 45 students each time. The average number of students admitted each year is about 30. If it is further broken down, basically only 5 scholars in each county can pass the exam, which is equivalent to a scholar. Now the top five in the county's college entrance examination . Who among such people is not a "super academic"? Because scholars have no salary and cannot be officials, their social status has not fundamentally changed. They need to support themselves and support their families. The society often calls "sour butt" and "poor scholar".
But scholars still have some privileges:
Firstly, they do not kowtow when they meet the magistrate, they do not address themselves as "Sir", and they still have a seat; secondly, they cannot take off their pants and get spanked directly after committing a crime. Even if the palms of the palms were to be slapped, it could only be done by academic officials at the county level, and government officials were not allowed to do it. To be punished, the provincial government must approve the removal of meritorious service. Third, if there is no corvee, the house can be three inches higher than other houses.
. How difficult is it to pass the exam?
Being a scholar means that you have the qualifications to take the provincial examination and pass the examination. The rural examination is held once every three years, usually in the autumn and August of the lunar calendar, so the rural examination is also called "Autumn Examination". There are regulations on the number of people to be promoted. There are about 100 people in large provinces, 70 to 80 people in medium provinces, and 40 to 50 people in small provinces. They cannot be increased or decreased at will.
According to incomplete statistics, in the year 276 of the Ming Dynasty, there were about 100,000 people. On average, only 1,000 people in the country are successful every three years, and more than 300 people a year. What kind of concept is this? Calculated with reference to Tsinghua and Peking University which enroll about 7,000 people each year, the number of people who pass the examination in one year is only about 1/20 of the number of people in Tsinghua and Peking University. Therefore, I think the value of the ancient examinations is much higher. Students from Tsinghua University and Peking University.
However, once you win the title of Juren, you will be awesome! From then on, he was called the master. He was qualified to be an official and was a member of the system. He enjoyed the government's special allowance , had no worries about food and clothing, and lived a comfortable life. Juren can generally hold positions such as county magistrates and teaching posts. Therefore, there is also a saying that "the magistrate is on the head and the instructor is on the feet." Even if a person is not an official, he can still be on an equal footing with county and division level cadres.
. How difficult is it to pass the Jinshi exam?
The examination of the Ministry of Rites is held once every three years, in the spring of the second year after Qiu Wei. Those who win the exam are called " tributes". In fact, if there are no special circumstances, these tributes will generally be Jinshi. It's just that you still have to pass the final palace test and be divided into high and low grades. Three people in the first grade, number one, second place, third overall, will be awarded Jinshi and ; second and third grade, will be awarded the Jinshi background, and the Jinshi background .
The difficulty of getting a Jinshi can be summed up in one sentence. Refer to the display content of Beijing Imperial Examination Plaque Museum: In China's more than 1,300 years of imperial examination history, the national average is only one Jinshi can be passed for every 3.75 million scholars.
Since the Song Dynasty, officials can be awarded official positions immediately after becoming a Jinshi. The Qing Dynasty was slightly different. In the Qing Dynasty, the No. 1 scholar in the Qing Dynasty was generally assigned to the Hanlin Academy for compilation, which was the sixth rank. The second and third grade Jinshi will be assigned to "ministerial level" yamen such as the Sixth Ministry of the Imperial Court, Metropolitan Procuratorate, General Affairs Department, Dali Temple, to observe government affairs, that is, practice, and will usually be awarded a formal position after two years of assessment.
Attachment: In the 30th year of Guangxu (1904), the Qing Dynasty held the Jiachen Enke Examination and selected 273 tributes to participate in the next imperial examination. This was also the last imperial examination in Chinese history . The test questions for this palace examination have also been handed down. You can take a look at the difficulty. The exam is divided into three sessions. The first session of
: historical theory and five articles.
1. Zhou and Tang Dynasties emphasized external emphasis and internal emphasis, while Qin and Wei Dynasties each have their own conclusions. (Testing national defense and ethnic policy)
2. Jia Yi said five baits and three forms, Ban Gu ridiculed Qishu, but Qin and Mu tried to use it to dominate the Xirong, Zhongxing also used it to warn Shanyu, and his theory was not ineffective. .(Similarly considering the national defense policy, it is obviously related to the fact that the Qing Dynasty faced the invasion of foreign powers)
3. Zhuge Liang did not have the intention to apply for Shang Dynasty but used his own skills, Wang Anshi used the actual application for Shang Dynasty but concealed his theory. (Considering the country's domestic political strategy, it was evaluated that "the country should be governed by law and governed by virtue.")
4. Pei Du told the prime minister that it would be appropriate to recruit talented people and staff from all over the country to meet with him in private. (Test "Human Resources", talent selection strategy.)
5. The Northern Song Dynasty formed a gold alliance with Tu Yan and Zhao , the Southern Song Dynasty assisted the Yuan Dynasty to attack Cai Lun. (The examination of national diplomatic strategy is obviously related to Li Hongzhang 's dealings among the great powers.)
. How difficult is it to get the top score in the exam?
The probability of becoming the number one scholar is really low. It is unbelievable to witness: This is the process of becoming the number one scholar from a child. It seems to be a smooth process, but in fact, some people stay as children all their lives, and some people are admitted to the scholar examination and stop there. Well, there were only 112 Han Chinese who could truly become the number one scholar in the Qing Dynasty (114 including Manchus). And what was the concept of being one of these 112 people in the Qing Dynasty?
Let’s talk with data: If we look back, the illiteracy level of the people in the Qing Dynasty will probably rise to 90%, and the remaining 10% who are literate and qualified to take the exam may have a reduced probability, leaving only 5% who are qualified to take the imperial exam. , according to the 436 million people in the Qing Dynasty in 1851, there were about 2.18 million people qualified to take the exam, and the probability of becoming the number one scholar was about 1/21.8 million.
Let’s learn about the terms related to the imperial examination!
| [Win three yuan in a row] The imperial examination is based on the first place. Anyone who wins the first place in the three examinations of the township, hui, and palace is called "three yuan in a row."
【Same year】 During the imperial examination era, people admitted to the same list called each other the same year.
[Inspection] A form of the official selection system in the Han Dynasty. Chaju means to inspect and recommend, and is also called recommendation. The local governors of the princely states, prefectures and counties inspect and select talents at any time within their jurisdiction, recommend them to superiors or the central government, and then appoint officials after trial evaluation. The main subjects of the examination include filial piety and integrity, virtuous literature, and talents.
【Conquest】 It is also a form of the official selection system in the Han Dynasty. Zheng means that the emperor recruits celebrities from society to serve in important positions in the court. Pi refers to senior bureaucrats in central government agencies or local government officials appointing subordinate officials and then recommending them to the court.
【Xiaolian】One of the subjects of the imperial examination system in the Han Dynasty. Xiaolian means to be filial to parents and to act with integrity. In fact, most of the examinations were monopolized by the family members, who flattered each other and practiced fraud. At that time, there was a nursery rhyme that satirized: "When a scholar is promoted, he does not know how to read." '
[Rural Examination] An examination held every three years in the provincial capitals (including the capital) during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Because it was held in autumn and August, it was also called Qiuwei. The examiner is appointed by the emperor. After the examination, the main and deputy lists are released. The person selected for the main list is called Juren, and the first place is called Jieyuan.
| [International Examination] An examination held every three years in the capital during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Because it was held in spring, it was also called Chunwei. The examination was presided over by the Ministry of Rites, and the emperor appointed presidents and vice-presidents. All provincial candidates and Imperial College students could take the examination. Three hundred people were admitted as tribute scholars, and the first one was named Huiyuan.
[Palace Examination] is the highest level examination in the imperial examination system. The emperor personally questioned the tributes admitted in the imperial examination in the palace to determine the first place. In fact, the emperor sometimes appointed ministers to be in charge of palace examinations, but did not personally conduct inquiries. The admissions are divided into three categories: the top three are awarded the title of 'Jinshi and the first place', the first is called the number one scholar, the second is ranked second, and the third is ranked third; there are several second-class students, who are given the title of 'Jinshi origin'; several third-class students are given the title of 'Jinshi origin'; , given the title of 'born with the same Jinshi'.The first place in the second and third place is called Chuanlu, and the first, second and third place are collectively called Jinshi.
【Get the rank】 refers to those who are successful in the imperial examination. Those who fail in the examination are called "failure" or "lower rank".
[dingjia] refers to the top three in the palace test: number one, second place, third overall, like the three legs of a tripod, so it is called dingjia. The number one scholar ranks first in Ding Jia, so he is also called Ding Yuan.
[Shengyuan] is a scholar, and those who pass the college examination can be called students or scholars.
【 Eight-legged essay 】 A literary style stipulated in the imperial examination system of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is also called Shiwen, Zhiyi, Shiyi, Sishuwen and Babiwen. This style of writing has a fixed format, which consists of eight parts: breaking the topic, carrying the topic, beginning, beginning, beginning, middle, back, and end. The number and sentence patterns of each part are also strictly regulated. limited. 'Body' stipulates two sentences to explain the meaning of the title; 'Chengti' has three or four sentences and follows 'Body' to explain; 'Start' summarizes the full text and is the beginning of the discussion; 'Start' introduces the main body of the article; 'Start' The main part of the eight-part essay is from "gu" to "shugu", with the "middle part" as the focus. In these four paragraphs of formal discussion, each paragraph has two strands of text that are parallel to each other, forming a total of eight parts, from which the eight-part essay gets its name. The topics of the eight-part essay come from " Four Books " and " Five Classics ". The content of the eight-part essay is not allowed to exceed the scope of the "Four Books" and "Five Classics". It must imitate the tone of the sages and convey the thoughts of the sages. Candidates are not allowed to express themselves freely. Regardless of content or form, eight-part essays play a role in constraining thoughts and destroying talents.
[Golden List] In the ancient imperial examination system Jinshi were admitted after the imperial examination, and the notice announcing the ranking was written on yellow paper, so it was called Huangjia and Jinbang. Most of them are appointed by the emperor, commonly known as the imperial list.
【School】 The name of Xia Dai School.
【庠】 The name of the school in the Yin and Shang era.
【Preface】 The name of the school in the Zhou Dynasty.
【Chinese Studies】 Pre-Qin schools are divided into two categories: Chinese studies and rural studies. Guoxue was established by the emperor or the princes, including Taixue and primary schools.
[Rural Studies] Compared with Chinese Studies, it generally refers to schools set up in local areas.
【Jixia Xueguan】 During the Warring States Period, was an institution of higher learning in Qi State. It was named after it was located under Jixia, Linzi, the capital.
【太学】 The educational administrative institution and the highest institution of higher learning in China's feudal era.
【Academy】 An independent educational institution that appeared from the Tang and Song Dynasties to the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It was a place set up by private or government officials to gather students to teach and study knowledge.
[Xueguan] is the collective name for officials in charge of academic affairs and official teachers in ancient times.
【Jiu Sacrifice】 In ancient times, the education administrator in charge of the Imperial College or Imperial College.
[Doctor] was an official name in ancient times and is now a degree name. In the Qin and Han dynasties, it was an official position in charge of books, literature, and history. Later, it became an official position in academics, specializing in a classic or proficient in an art, and engaged in teaching students.
【Siye】 Academic official name. He was the deputy chief of the Imperial Academy or Imperial College, equivalent to the current vice-chancellor, assisting in offering wine and taking charge of academic affairs and instruction.
【Academic Administration】 Academic official name. The abbreviation of "Admiral Academic Affairs" refers to officials appointed by the imperial court to preside over academic examinations in various provinces and supervise academic officials in various places.
[Professor] originally refers to imparting knowledge, giving lectures, and later became the name of an academic official.
[Teaching Assistant] academic official name. He is an academic officer of the Imperial Academy or Imperial College. He assists the Imperial Academy in offering wines and the Imperial Academy Doctorate teaches students. He is also called the Imperial Academy Assistant.
【Jiansheng】Students of the Imperial College. Either through academic examination, recommendation from the local government, or special permission from the emperor. Later, it became a false name. By donating money, you can obtain the qualification of supervising students.
【生】 During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, students who were admitted by examination and entered schools at the prefecture, state and county levels. The living members include hyperplasia, epiphysis, Linsheng, epiphysics, etc., which are collectively referred to as all living things.
