Prince of Song Dynasty

Chapter 593 The Imperial Examination System
Speaking of the palace examination, here is the development of the Chinese imperial examination system.

Before the Qin Dynasty, the "Shiqing Shilu" system was adopted, and then the military merit system was gradually introduced.In the Western Zhou Dynasty, the emperor divided the world.The world is governed by the emperor, princes, ministers, and scholars.According to hereditary descent.In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, there were "Ke Qing", "Diner" and so on.

In the Han Dynasty.Promote civil talents.At that time, the inspection system and the recruitment system were adopted. The former was recommended by localities at all levels to have talents with both ability and political integrity.Those elected by the state are called scholars, and those elected by the county are called Xiaolian.

During the reign of Emperor Wen of Wei, Chen Qun founded Jiupin Zhongzheng, in which specific officials assessed folk talents according to background, morality, etc., and were divided into nine ranks for recruitment.Jin and Six Dynasties continued to use this system.Nine Ranks is the improvement of the investigation and examination, the main difference is that the investigation and examination will be replaced by appointed officials from local officials.However, in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the aristocratic clan was powerful, which often affected the Zhongzheng official's assessment of talents. Later, the criteria were even limited to family background.As a result, the phenomenon of "the upper class has no poor families, and the lower class has no noble families" has resulted.Not only blocked the collection of materials from the people, but also allowed the aristocratic family to control the collection of materials from the court.

The imperial examination sprouted in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the real imperial examination took shape in the Tang Dynasty.With the decline of the gentry family and the rise of the commoner landlords, the nine-rank Zhongzheng system, which has emphasized family status in the selection of officials since the Wei and Jin Dynasties, can no longer continue.After Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty came to the throne, he abolished the nine-rank Zhongzheng system.According to historical records, in the first month of the third year of Kaihuang, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty issued an edict to promote "virtuous".

In the seventh year of Emperor Kaihuang's reign, he also made Beijing officials with five grades or above, general managers, and governors.

In April of the third year of Emperor Yangdi's great cause in the Sui Dynasty, he ordered civil and military officials who had duties to be "filial and fraternal", "virtuous and honest", "obedience can be called", "clean in behavior", "strong and upright", and "unforgiving in the constitution". Excellent academics", "beautiful literary talent", "talented general", "arrogant physical strength" and other ten imperial examination candidates.In the second subject of Jinshi, he was selected by "trial strategy".The term "Jinshi" first appeared in the "Book of Rites x{2022} Wangzhi", and its original meaning is to be able to enter and receive a noble salary.At that time, the main test was the policy of current affairs, which was called trial policy.

Shen Jiji, Shangshu of the Ministry of Rites during Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, commented on this change: "The previous generation selected all prefectures and prefectures... As for the Qi and Sui Dynasties, the disadvantages cannot be overcome... It is due to the power of the prefecture. The Ministry of Officials. Since the Sui Dynasty, people from all over the world were recruited, and they gathered in the capital to live in spring and autumn, and the clouds gathered together."

However, there have always been objections to the creation of the imperial examination in the historians of later generations.Some historians believe that the Tang Dynasty created the imperial examination.He Zhongli's "Analysis of the Origin of the Imperial Examination System——Also on the First Establishment of the Jinshi Department in the Tang Dynasty" denies that there were Jinshi and Jinshi departments in the Sui Dynasty. I have read the names of many disciplines mentioned in Kaihuang and Daye, but I have not seen the name of the Jinshi department, nor the actual examination of the Jinshi department; the second is that Fang Xuanling, Wen Yanbo, Hou Junsu, Sun Fujia, Zhang Sunzhi, Yang Zhuan and other six people, but after textual research, except for Yang Zuan's Jinshi status, which cannot be checked due to lack of documents, the other five people either have no real evidence, or compare the ancient system with the current system. In the Sui Dynasty, scholars and Mingjing Kechao were regarded as officials, and they were attached to Jinshi Kedengdi. Although there are records in Tang Dynasty that Jinshi Ke was founded in Sui, there are also records that Jinshi Ke was created in Tang Dynasty, so he thinks that Sui Dynasty implemented It is still the examination system, and the Jinshi Department also originated in the Tang Dynasty.

Yu Gang had some doubts about the provision of the Jinshi Department in the Sui Dynasty. He said: "If it is said that the method of examining and judging countermeasures is already a gestalt examination system, then it should be traced back to the Han Dynasty as the authority. If it is said that the imperial court opened departments to treat people, scholars The self-examination by submitting an ultimatum can be called the Gestalt examination system, and it should start from the Tang Dynasty, and it cannot be said that it was based on the Sui Dynasty. Very valuable insight.Tang Changru put forward a similar opinion to Yu Gang. He believed that the important feature of the imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty was whether "self-examination with the imperial examination was allowed". The imperial examination system is in its infancy.

Another scholar wrote that: To determine when the imperial examination system originated, we must first grasp its special nature that is different from other electoral systems, that is, to solve the problem of what is the imperial examination system.He Zhongli pointed out in the article "Origin of the Imperial Examination System——Also on the First Establishment of the Jinshi Department in the Tang Dynasty" that the examination system of the entire feudal society can basically be summarized as follows: "First, scholars should apply for the examination. It is not necessary to be specially recommended by ministers of public affairs or prefects and county governors to allow "submission of ultimatum". This should be the most important feature of the imperial examination system, and it is also the most fundamental difference from the examination system. Second, "everything is based on Chengwen In other words, it is necessary to pass strict examinations to decide whether to be promoted or to be dismissed. Third, the Jinshi is the main subject for the admission of scholars, and scholars regularly go to the examination." And through various arguments, it is believed that the above characteristics Although the "surrender self-advancement" and the examination and dismissal method in the middle of the Northern and Southern Dynasties have revealed clues in the late Southern and Northern Dynasties, they officially appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Although the Jiupin Zhongzheng system was abolished in the Sui Dynasty, the inspection system was still implemented.As for the statement in the history books that there was a Jinshi department in the Sui Dynasty, there is no real evidence.Therefore, the time when the imperial examination system was formally formed was not in the Sui Dynasty but in the Tang Dynasty.

But one thing is recognized by everyone—Tang Taizong, Wu Zetian, and Tang Xuanzong were the key figures in establishing and improving the imperial examination.In the Tang Dynasty, the subjects of the examination were divided into regular subjects and system subjects.The exams held in installments every year are called regular subjects, and the exams held temporarily by the emperor's edict are called system subjects.

There are more than 50 permanent subjects such as scholar, Mingjing, Jinshi, Junshi, Mingfa, Mingzi, and Mingshu.Among them, Mingfa, Mingshu, Mingzi and other subjects are not valued by people. The scholar's subject was very demanding in the early Tang Dynasty, but it was gradually abolished later.Therefore, the two subjects of Mingjing and Jinshi became the main subjects of regular subjects in the Tang Dynasty (Jinshi examines current affairs policies and poems, essays, Mingjing examines current affairs policies and classics; the former is difficult, the latter is easy).

After Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, Jinshi subjects were especially valued by people at that time.Most of the prime ministers in the Tang Dynasty were Jinshi.Candidates for regular subjects have two sources, one is students and the other is tribute.Those who were born in the capital and prefectural and county schools, and sent to Shangshu Province as test subjects are called students; those who do not pass the prefectural and county examinations first, and then sent to Shangshu Province are called Xianggong.Candidates who enter Beijing from the township tribute are commonly called Juren.Examinations in prefectures and counties are called solution examinations, and examinations in Shangshu Province are commonly called provincial examinations, or ceremonial examinations.The examinations of the Ministry of Rites are held in spring, so it is also called Chunwei, which means the examination room.

The two subjects of Mingjing and Jinshi were initially just test strategies, and the content of the examination was classics or current affairs.Later, although the subjects of the two examinations were changed, the basic spirit was that Jinshi emphasized poetry and Fu, and Mingjing emphasized scriptures and ink meanings.The so-called post scriptures are to expose one page of the scriptures, cover the left and right sides, open only one line in the middle, and then cover the three characters with a paper post for the tester to fill in.Moyi is a simple written test on the words and sentences of the scriptures.Tie Jing and Mo Yi, as long as you are familiar with the biography and annotations of the scriptures, you can take the pilot test, and poetry and fu need to have literary talent.It is very difficult to get a Jinshi, so there was a saying at that time that "thirty old Mingjing, fifty young Jinshi".

The regular examination was initially presided over by Wailang, an examiner of the Ministry of Officials, and later by the minister of the Ministry of Rites, called "Quan Zhi Gong Ju".Jinshi and No. 1 are called "Denglongmen", and No. [-] is called No. [-] Scholar or No. [-].Those on the same list want to pool money to hold a celebration, and the two teenagers on the same list search for famous flowers in famous gardens, and they are called flower hunters.It is necessary to go to the apricot orchard to participate in a banquet, which is called a flower exploration banquet.After the banquet, they went to sign their names under the Big Wild Goose Pagoda of Ci'en Temple to show their glory, so Zhongjinshi is also called "Yanta Pagoda Title".After Chang Ke ascended the rank, he had to pass the examination of the Ministry of Officials, which was called the selection test.Those who are qualified can be granted official positions.Liu Zongyuan, a famous scholar in the Tang Dynasty, was awarded the "Jixian Hall Zhengzi" immediately for his erudite and great CI.If you fail the official examination, you can only go to the Jiedushi to work as an aide, and then get a formal official position.After Han Yu passed the Jinshi examination, he failed the three selection examinations and had to serve as an aide to the Jiedushi before entering the officialdom.

Tang Taizong attached great importance to the cultivation and selection of talents.After he came to the throne, he greatly expanded the scale of the college, expanded the school buildings, and increased the number of students.

In February of the first year of Empress Wu Zetian's reign, the empress personally "asked the tributes to Luo Chengdian", which was the beginning of the palace examination in the imperial examination, but it did not form a permanent system in the Tang Dynasty.

Martial arts also emerged in the Tang Dynasty.Martial arts began in the second year of Wu Zetian's Chang'an.Candidates for Yingwuju come from Xianggong, and the Ministry of War examines them.The test subjects include horse shooting, infantry, flat shooting, carbine, wrestling with weight and so on. "The high-ranking person is awarded an official, followed by a class promotion."The most famous martial arts champion in the Tang Dynasty was Guo Ziyi.

During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, poetry and prose became the main content of the Jinshi examination.During his reign, he personally interviewed candidates for the imperial examination eight times in the palaces of Chang'an and Luoyang, and admitted many talented people.

The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty were roughly the same as those in the Tang Dynasty, with regular examinations, system examinations, and military examinations.In the original history, the later the Song Dynasty, the more it "emphasized literature over military", so it paid special attention to the imperial examinations, but the later period led to excessive selection of officials.

As early as the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhao Kuangyin ordered the imperial examination to relax the scope of admission and role.Jinshi in the Song Dynasty was divided into three classes: the first class was called Jinshi Jiji; the second class was called Jinshi origin;Due to the expansion of the scope of admission, compared with the admission of Jinshi in the Tang Dynasty, there were no more than two or 30 people each time, and there were as few as a few or a dozen people, and the number of places increased several times or even ten times.

The Song Dynasty established a three-level examination every three years.In the imperial examination in the early Song Dynasty, there were only two levels of examinations.The first level is the examination held by each state, and the first level is the provincial examination held by the Ministry of Rites.In order to select truly talented people for official positions, Zhao Kuangyin followed Zhao Pu's strategy as early as the founding of the People's Republic of China, and conducted the imperial examination for the first time in the last scientific examination.Since then, the Palace Examination has become the highest level of the imperial examination system, and formally established the three-level imperial examination of the State Examination, the Provincial Examination, and the Palace Examination.After the palace examination, there is no need to pass the examination of the Ministry of Officials, and you will be directly appointed as an official.Zhao Kuangyin also decreed that after passing the exam, it is not allowed to call the examiner a teacher, or call himself a student.In this way, all those who passed the rank became disciples of the emperor.After the palace examination, the top three will be released.

Because after the Sui and Tang Dynasties began to obtain scholars, the phenomenon of favoritism and fraud has become more and more serious.In response to this situation, Zhao Kuangyin ordered people to study some measures, mainly the establishment of obfuscated names and transcripts.Therefore, the imperial examination began to implement name obfuscation and transcription, and the establishment of a new method to prevent favoritism was also pioneered for the first time during Zhao Kuangyin's period.

The so-called obfuscated name is to seal the name, place of origin, etc. on the examinee's examination paper, also known as "Mi Feng" or "Seal Mi".However, after the name is blurred, calligraphy and painting can still be recognized, and Zhao Kuangyin asked the candidates to transcribe the test papers separately.When reviewing the test papers, the examiners not only do not know the candidates' names, but also cannot identify the candidates' handwriting.This kind of system has indeed produced a great effect in preventing the examiner from choosing favoritism.However, in the original history, by the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, this method became a mere formality.The changes in the form of examinations in the Song Dynasty not only did not get rid of the chronic diseases of the imperial examinations, but made them worse.

Great changes were also made in the content of the imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty.The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty basically followed the Tang system, and the imperial examinations for the Jinshi examinations included scriptures, ink meanings, and poems, which had serious disadvantages.Scholars take sound and rhyme as their business, and they are mostly ignorant of the past and the present; Ming Jing only memorizes and recites, but its meaning is useless to learn.In the original history, more than 100 years later, after Wang Anshi became a political adviser, he began to change the content of the imperial examination, canceling poems, scriptures, and Mo Yi, and only selected scholars based on classics, theory, and strategy.The so-called scriptures, similar to theories, are short essays, limited to using the sentences in the scriptures as the title, and using the meaning of the scriptures to develop.

Now, Zhao Kuangyin listened to Ye Chen's suggestion, and made an order to test the scriptures and policy questions as early as last year, which can be regarded as advancing the matter.

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At this time, it is just a moment.

The sky was still dark, and thousands of stars could still be seen in the sky.But at this time, Kou Zhun and all the scholars on the list had already arrived at the Zuoye Gate outside the imperial city.

Today is the last hurdle, and only if you pass it successfully can you be qualified as a Jinshi.But the atmosphere in front of Zuoye Gate was much more relaxed than that in front of the Imperial College.Everyone knows that as long as there are no stupid things or accidents today, Jinshi is almost guaranteed.

The Gongsheng students whispered and laughed, waiting for the palace gate to open.But there are also people who stay calm and don't talk too much with others.

"Most of these people are fighting for the first prize." Someone whispered to the discussion.

Liu Yin and Wang Sizong, who were high in the examination of the Ministry of Rites, were among these serious scholars.

However, An Shengliang, another Gong student who Kou Zhun had heard of who was about to compete for the first prize, did not imitate Wang Sizong and Liu Yin's composure, but squeezed over and said with a smile: "Brother Ping Zhong, so you have already Arrived!"

A social smile appeared on Kou Zhun's face: "Unexpectedly, Brother Mu Shi is also here!"

Kou Zhun knew An Shengliang.When I saw him for the first time, it was in front of the Imperial College, one of the group of people who laughed out loud, and they all looked very confident.At that time, there were fifteen or sixteen scholars gathered around An Shengliang, but today only An Shengliang was present alone among these people.

(End of this chapter)