Guide to Traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty.

Chapter 591 0586 [Glory of Scholars]

Whether it is the ancient imperial examination or the modern college entrance examination, marking test papers is a physical job.

Absolutely one glance and ten lines!
Moreover, excellent papers will occupy the time of ordinary papers.For example, for a full-score essay, one person cannot make the final decision in grading. It requires multiple graders to pass the test together.

Under normal circumstances, the grading teacher will finish scanning the essay you worked so hard on in a few seconds.

The ancient imperial examinations were all short essays, and this phenomenon was even more serious.

Of course, the most tiring thing is the copying officer, who needs to copy all the test papers.

Coupled with repeatedly checking the transcripts and original papers, these processes are extremely time-consuming and leave little time for the marking officers.

The marking officer kept reading the article for many days in a row. Within a day or two, he became dizzy and judged the paper in a daze.This is why Lin Zexu said: "Determination and abandonment are determined in a moment, and determination is made in a trance."

"With the addition of sentence reading symbols, it is indeed much easier than before." Wu Yanzhang said with emotion.

In the 11th year of Shaoxing's reign, Jin Wushu led his army to invade the south. Wu Yanzhang's position was to raise the army's money and food as the general.

This important official of the Southern Song Dynasty had not found any job in the Ming Dynasty. He had been sent to the Hanlin Academy to compile books. Now he was finally ordered to become an imperial examination examiner.

Candidates are required to write commas and periods, which Wu Yanzhang finds extremely convenient.

After reading one article, Wu Yanzhang began to give grades and wrote in the red scroll: "The words are chosen based on reason and are clear and beautiful, which is enough to overcome the doubts of the crowd and return to the truth. This article should be awarded nine points. Wu Yanzhang."

The [-]-point scoring system was of course Ju Ming's order.

This is not only to connect with the mathematics and physics test papers, but also to ensure that non-classical questions are paid attention to.

After Wang Anshi's reform, the imperial examinations in the Song, Ming and Qing dynasties focused more and more on classic questions.

Even if you write your policy papers and official documents to perfection, you will definitely fail the exam if you fail to pass the questions on classics and meaning.

This is certainly not Wang Anshi's fault, because he also had a focus before his reform.At that time, you were the one who wrote about the classic meanings and strategies in an extremely colorful way, but as long as the poems and poems were not up to standard, you would definitely fail the exam.

Ju Ming directly implemented a hundred-point system. All test papers were graded and then added up to calculate the total score to prevent mathematics, physics, official documents, and policy theories from being ignored.

Currently, the four-day exam contains a total of 400 points, which is 100 points in one day.

These 100 points are further broken down into different questions, with a full score set for each question.

There are also more detailed things, such as the chicken and rabbit in the same cage question.Regardless of whether new mathematics or traditional arithmetic is used, full points will be awarded for writing the specific calculation process, and half points will be given for just writing a correct answer.

Even the question about picking locks is like this. You have to write down why it is more labor-saving to pick locks with a long stick.

Since many candidates have never studied physics, the criteria for judging papers are more relaxed. They only need to write down why they answered the questions the way they did.

For example, Li Gongjian wrote that he did an experiment with a bowl and a brush, and he could also get full marks for this question.

In addition, papers with too high or too low scores need to be cross-marked and signed by at least three marking officers.

For example, if A gives a certain paper a score of 95, which is too high, it will be given to B and C to score again, and the average of the three scores will be taken.

After half a month of continuous grading work, dozens of examiners gathered together, and the proctor from the Supervisory Office stood next to them.

"Remove the name." Xiao Chu ordered.

Huan Guo was also present and was extremely exhausted. He just wanted to sleep now.

The chief examiner is Dong Xixian, a Tai student who followed Ju Ming to Guizhou.He picked up the red scroll with only the number and said: "No. 1, No. 1 in field B, total score 394 points. Match the roll!"

Another supervisor found the corresponding ink roll based on the site number, and after comparing it repeatedly, he said: "The name of the ink roll has not been damaged."

The ink scroll was held up for public display, and all the main examiners and proctors could see it clearly. Officials from further away could also come over and take a look if they had any questions.

Xiao Chu said: "Remove the name!"

Before Ming Ming could even take it apart, several heads came over to him.

Dong Xixian announced: "No. 1 in the Ministry of Rites Examination, Li Dong from Nanjianzhou!"

"Whose disciple is this man?" Huan Guo asked.

"I don't know."

The crowd shook their heads.

Everyone has read the answer sheet for No. 1. Not only are the classics and meanings written well, but the answers to mathematics and physics are all standard.

Even how to predict disaster years, provide work relief, and prepare for civil unrest are all clearly written.

Huang Shang said: "Since he is a scholar from Nanjianzhou, he is probably a student of Chen Zhimo (Chen Yuan)."

"Most likely." Huan Guo said.

They guessed wrong.

Li Tong was just Chen Yuan's nephew and a disciple of Chen Yuan's junior brother Luo Congyan.

Zhu Xi had many teachers, the most important of whom was Li Tong, No. 1 in this year's Ministry of Rites examination.

Li Tong liked to drive drunk when he was young. He often got drunk in the middle of the night and then rode horses for miles with a sword.This guy has a very irritable personality, as if he has ADHD. After becoming a disciple of Luo Congyan, he became calm.

Moreover, he devoted himself to studying knowledge and never participated in the imperial examination.

Chen Yuan brought "Tao Yongce" back to Fujian. Li Tong copied a copy and began to study on his own. He occasionally went to listen to Chen Yuan's lectures.

He greatly admired Ju Ming's talent and learning, and secretly asked someone to obtain all of Ju Ming's articles.

Although this important figure in Cheng-Ju Neo-Confucianism had never met Ju Ming, his academic thoughts had long been distorted by Ju Ming.

He even couldn't help but take the imperial examination!
Continue unwinding.

"No. 2 in the Ministry of Rites Examination, Hu Quan from Jizhou!"

When Xiao Chu announced his name, he smiled and stroked his beard. This was his own direct disciple.

No.1 is from Fujian and No.2 is from Jiangxi.As expected, these two provinces scored very well in the imperial examinations. Fortunately, the three provinces were classified as one and their quotas for Jinshi were strictly limited.

"No. 3 in the Rites Examination, Chaozhou Wang Dabao!"

Chaozhou belongs to Guangnan Road and has not been completely recovered yet, so it is not within the scope of this imperial examination.

Just when everyone was confused, Xiao Chu took another careful look and said: "This person is a student of the old Song Dynasty. It was difficult to return to his hometown due to the emperor's separatist rule, so he sent his residence in Kaifeng to take the exam."

There are particularly many Jinshi places in Kaifeng this year, mainly to facilitate scholars who stay in the capital and are native to unconquered provinces.

Wu Yanzhang said: "My native place is Chaozhou, and my surname is Wang. I should be the queen of the King of Fujian."

The King of Fujian was Wang Shenzhi, the late Tang warlord who burned down Southern Shaolin.A leader of the peasant uprising army who occupied the entire territory of Fujian but did not proclaim himself emperor, instead selected the most capable people, took corvee lightly and paid little tax, and obeyed the imperial court from afar.

Although the imperial examination flourished in the Song Dynasty, it had not really spread to the lower class peasants.

Every one of the previous Jinshis was at least a rich man like the Bai family.Or they may live in poverty temporarily but belong to the downtrodden gentry, such as Qin Hui.

Only in the Ming Dynasty, when the cost of printing and papermaking became even lower, were there truly poor peasants who relied on the imperial examination to turn themselves around!

If you look at the top three in this Rites Examination, you will know what the Jinshi group is like.

……

"Brother Bang Heng, go check out the list!" Li Yi stood at the door of the guest room and shouted.

"I'm coming."

Hu Quan pushed open the door and walked out.

The two of them went downstairs together and met a few scholars at the entrance of the stairs. They gathered some more on the street and started to fight towards Gongyuan Street.

The place was already crowded with people, including wealthy businessmen and their servants, waiting to play the trick of catching their son-in-law.

After waiting left and right, an officer finally came out of Gongyuan.

Soon, a list was posted, and the scholars were in an uproar.

Because there are too few Jinshi places this year, when Song Huizong was the emperor, there were often six to seven hundred Jinshi in one list.

In the first imperial examination held after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, only 350 Jinshi candidates were admitted.

How mean and unkind!

Li Yi muttered: "How come there are only 350 people?"

Hu Quan said: "Go back a hundred years, and the old Song Dynasty only took 400 people. The old dynasty had the problem of redundant officials, but it took more and more Jinshi. The Ming Dynasty and the new dynasty have learned their lesson."

"That makes sense." Li Yi nodded.

"I'm hit! I'm hit..."

Among the crowd, some people were already cheering and shouting.

The palace examination has not been held yet, so the current ranking does not count, but it does have some reference value.

Officials or wealthy businessmen with a higher vision will not catch a son-in-law at the bottom of the list.But those small and medium-sized businessmen are very self-aware and specialize in catching low-ranking tributes.

"Has your husband ever been married?"

"My little girl is only twenty-eight years old, gentle and virtuous..."

"My family has several shops in Tokyo, and my eldest son has been sent away to serve as a state minister."

"..."

Min Anguo stood at the bottom of the list and was overjoyed. He was No. 2 on the final list of the Ministry of Rites examination, and he was also the second Jinshi of the Min family in recent decades.

Uncle Min Zishun has an old relationship with the prince, and now that there is a Jinshi in the family, the Min family in Yangzhou will definitely prosper!

List after list was posted, and the top list was finally made public.

"First place in the Rites Examination, Li Tong from Jianpu County, Nanjian Prefecture!"

The troublemaker shouted loudly, stood on tiptoes and looked around: "Where is Mr. Li? Where is Mr. Li?"

Li Tong didn't look at the rankings at all. He was studying calculus in the inn. He knew he would win this time.

Li Yi raised his hands and congratulated: "Congratulations to brother Bang Heng."

"Same joy, same joy." Hu Quan returned the courtesy.

Of the two of them, Hu Quan is No. 2 and Li Yi is No. 7.

The two brothers Li Gongmao and Li Gongjian were standing at the bottom of the list with great joy.Li Gongmao No. 5, Li Gongjian No. 174.

Li, who had been dormant for 30 years, is now back!
Due to the special content of the exam, Nanjianzhou has several names on the list this time.In addition to Chen Yuan's nephew Li Tong, there are also Chen Yuan's disciples Deng Zha and others.

There are also many winners in Hanzhong and Kaifeng, all of whom have systematically studied mathematics and physics.

Among the top ten, three are from Fujian, three from Sichuan, two from Jiangxi, one from Gyeonggi and one from Huainan. (Wang Dabao, a Cantonese, was classified as a Kaifeng candidate this time.)
Wang Dabao looked up at the list, and he was ranked third.

Over there in my hometown, it’s time to build an ancestral temple!

He does belong to the descendants of the Kai-Min Holy King, but he is a branch that migrated to Chaozhou, and it is also a branch of the branch.

Although the family's business is very rich, they have never had a non-commissioned officer.

After passing the Jinshi exam this time, when the results of the imperial examination come out, it will be time to write a letter home. There is enough reason to open a separate ancestral hall.

From now on, descendants and descendants can all walk in the world with the name of the hall he founded.

He had already thought of a name for the hall, so he decided to call it "Liugang Wang Family"!
This is the same as founding a sect, and it is another kind of glory for ancient scholars. It is as fulfilling as leaving a name in history.

(End of this chapter)