Our country is a vast country with vast territory, abundant resources, outstanding people and earth. In every dynasty and every piece of land, countless knowledgeable people have emerged."In the morning, we will be a farm-man, and in the evening, we will climb the emperor's hall" was the dream of every student in ancient times. Learning well will lead to an official. This is their common pursuit."Golden List" is regarded as one of the greatest happy events in life. It can be seen that the ancient imperial examination system had a profound impact on everyone, every family, and even every dynasty during the feudal period.

Nanjing's Confucius Temple is a cultural landmark in Nanjing. It is also one of the four major Confucian temples in China, along with Qufu Confucian Temple, Beijing Confucian Temple, and Liaoning Confucian Temple. On the edge of the Confucius Temple there is a famous Jiangnan Tribute Court. It is the largest and most influential imperial examination room in Chinese history. It is the place where scholars are opened in southern China. Its scale and area are the highest among the tribute courts in all provinces in China, and it is the largest imperial examination room in ancient China. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties alone, more than half of the country's officials came from Jiangnan Gongyuan, known as the "cradle of ancient Chinese officials."

According to staff, Jiangnan Gongyuan sent more than 800 top scholars, more than 100,000 Jinshi scholars, and one million candidates to the country during the imperial examination period from its completion to its abolition in the late Qing Dynasty. Famous people in the Ming and Qing dynasties Tang Bohu, Zheng Banqiao, Wu Jingzi, Shi Naian, Weng Tonghe, Zhang Jian, Chen Duxiu, etc. all came from here.

The current Jiangnan Gongyuan has been transformed into a large-scale sunken museum-the Chinese Imperial Examination Museum, which systematically displays and introduces the scientific culture formed by the Chinese imperial examination system. This culture is a unique cultural phenomenon in China and a great initiative in the profound and profound Chinese civilization. It not only played a major role and occupied an important position in Chinese history, but also had a huge impact around the world.

The China Imperial Examination Museum is said to be the only underground museum in China (it may not be accurate, for example, the Baihe Liang in Fuling, Chongqing is actually underground and underwater). The main body of the museum is 36 meters long, 36 meters wide, and 20 meters high. It is completely submerged underground. The upper part is a square shallow pool. Visitors pass through the Gongyuan archway and face Mingyuan Tower. The museum is like an ancient mirror, incorporating the reflection of Mingyuan Tower. The pool water in front of Mingyuan Building covers an area of just 1300 square meters, cleverly using the horizontal area to symbolize the past 1300 years of imperial examinations in the vertical direction.

To enter the museum, you need to walk down the winding passage. On the left side are stacked small tiles, shaped like fish scales and dragon scales, symbolizing the bumpy process of "carp jumping over the dragon gate" for imperial examination candidates.

After going down to the museum, the first thing I saw was the archway of a Kedi family. It is said that this is a relatively important treasure of the town and museum. It was the archway awarded by the court to Wu Bozong, the first champion of the Ming Dynasty. In ancient times, it was a symbol of identity and glory to the ancestors. Walking inward from the archway is a courtyard, the atrium is designed with the four books and five classics collected, and the four-story Kuixing Hall is high. Looking up, the stars dot and illuminate the four books, five classics, and a subset of classics and history.

To the right of the imperial examination archway is a courtyard, and in the center is the four-story Kuixing Hall. Looking up above, around the Kuixing Diandou, Confucian classics such as classics and history are shining under the light. As long as you place your hand under the Kuixing statue around you, you will automatically spit out a lot. Friends who want to know your luck can come and try it. It's very interesting.

Further ahead, there are some famous stories about seeking talents before the formation of China's imperial examination system. For example, Marquis Xibo asked Jiang Ziya and Liu Bei asked for Zhuge Liang three times. It is said that after Ji Chang, Marquis Xibo, was imprisoned by King Zhou of Yin for three years, he was eager to visit and seek talents. Hearing that Jiang Shang lived in seclusion along the Weishui River, he drove to visit him. During their conversation, Ji Chang saw that Jiang was indeed extremely talented in strategy, so he invited him to serve as an official to assist Zhou Bang. In order to test Ji Chang's sincerity in seeking talents, Jiang Shang asked Ji Chang to pull the cart for him before he allowed him to board the journey. Ji Chang was eager to seek talents and personally pulled a cart for Jiang Shang, so the monarch and his subjects left the Wei River together. Ji Chang worshipped Jiang Ziya as "Taishi"(the name of the military attache) and respectfully called Taigong Wang. Jiang Ziya became the chief think tank and assisted Ji Chang in establishing hegemony. After King Wu of Zhou ascended the throne, he was revered as a "teacher and father" and became the military commander of Zhou, known as Jiang Shang. Assisted King Wu in destroying Shang Zhou and establishing the Zhou Dynasty.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Liu Bei admired Zhuge Liang's talents and wanted him to help him unify the country. One day, the three of them came to Longzhong, but Kong Ming was not around, so they had to leave disappointed. Back in Xinye, Liu Bei heard that Zhuge Liang was back and asked people to prepare his horse immediately. When they arrived at the thatched hut, the boy said that Zhuge Liang had been asked away. The three of them returned unhappily. Time passed quickly, and Liu Bei planned to visit Kong Ming three times. The three of them came to Longzhong for the third time. There were still more than half a mile away from the thatched house. Liu Bei dismounted and walked. At this time, Zhuge Liang was taking a nap. In order not to disturb him, Liu Bei respectfully waited under the steps. Zhuge Liang woke up and talked about national affairs. Seeing Liu Bei visiting the cottage three times and sincerely, Zhuge Liang agreed to work together with Liu Bei to pursue a great cause.

Before the establishment of the imperial examination system, the emperor of the Western Zhou Dynasty allocated land to relatives and meritorious officials, which is what people call vassals. Each vassal was assigned to local officials such as ministers and doctors in its vassal countries. Most of these local officials were selected in rural elections and then promoted layer by layer.

In the Han Dynasty, it slowly evolved from local selection to an inspection system. The court set up subjects and then required central and local officials to recommend talents based on the subjects set. Liu Bang, the Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, issued an edict ordering officials at all levels to recommend talents, forming the original form of rural tribute in later generations. Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty issued an edict twice ordering officials at all levels to recommend "virtuous and upright people who can speak bluntly and remonstrate", and to conduct examinations on those recommended by means of counseling.

During the period of Emperor Wen of Wei, Cao Pi ordered Chen Qun, Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to create a nine-grade upright system, in which specific officials assessed folk talents based on their birth, moral character, etc., and were recruited into nine grades. This system was used during the Jin and Six Dynasties. The nine grades of justice are improvements of the inspection, mainly from the general inspection, which is the responsibility of the inspection, from local officials to appointed officials. However, in the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the aristocratic families were powerful and often influenced the assessment of talents by officials. Later, the criteria they relied on were even limited to family origin. As a result, the phenomenon of "the top grade has no poor family, and the bottom grade has no aristocratic family."

In the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty replaced the nine-grade Zhongzheng system of the previous Dynasty with a division of subjects during the Kaihuang Period. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty established the Jinshi Branch in the first year of Daye, which formed a narrow imperial examination system. After that, the imperial examination slowly developed into the main way for students to enter the official service, and those who won the imperial examination became the most important group that influenced the process of Chinese history after the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

After the establishment of the imperial examination in the Sui Dynasty, it achieved greater development in the Tang Dynasty, strengthening and improving the institutionalization of the imperial examination.

In the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination system was once again strengthened. Not only was public recommendation prohibited and special names established for Jinshi, but the palace examination system was also improved, and systems such as the method of pasting names and the examination of different heads were also fully implemented. The quality of the answer sheet became the most important basis for admission, and the ideal of fairness in the imperial examination was realized to the greatest extent. In the Song Dynasty, Jinshi's examination of classics, Mo Yi and poetry Fu had great shortcomings. Jinshi focused on sound and rhyme, which was mostly ignorant of ancient and modern times. The Ming scriptures were only forced to memorize and recite them extensively, but their righteousness and principles were useless to learn. After Wang Anshi was appointed as a member of government affairs, he began to change the content of the imperial examination, abolishing poetry and Fu, Tie Jing, and Mo Yi, and selecting scholars based on scriptures, theories, and strategies. The so-called meaning of the scriptures is similar to theory. It is a short article, limited to using the sentences in the scriptures as the title and using the meaning in the scriptures to express it.

The imperial examination system reached its peak in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Zhu Yuanzhang issued an imperial examination in the third year of Hongwu, stipulating that "all Chinese and foreign civil officials will be promoted through the imperial examination, and those who are not imperial examinations will not be allowed to serve as officials." In the 17th year of Hongwu, the Ming Dynasty announced the "Imperial Examination Chengshi", which basically formulated written regulations on the imperial examination for more than 250 years since the Ming Dynasty.

The Qing Dynasty largely copied the Ming Dynasty as a rule, and the Ming and Qing imperial examinations lasted for more than 500 years. The imperial examinations in the Ming and Qing Dynasties became a huge system with numerous levels, grades, rules and regulations, and strict names. The imperial examinations in the Ming and Qing Dynasties were divided into five levels: children's examination, hospital examination, township examination, general examination, and palace examination, and were often divided into levels.

The military examination system began in the second year of Chang 'an in Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty. Most of the candidates for the military examination came from rural tribute and were examined by the Ministry of War. The examination subjects include horse shooting, step shooting, flat shooting, horse shooting, weight-bearing wrestling, etc. "Those with the highest rank will be awarded an official position, and the next level will be promoted." The most famous champion of martial arts in the Tang Dynasty was Guo Ziyi.

The martial arts exercises in the Tang Dynasty mainly tested skills such as weightlifting, riding and shooting, step shooting, and horse-lance. In addition, there were also requirements for candidates to look "majestic and capable of being a general." In the Song Dynasty, it was stipulated that martial arts exercises should not only be military force, but also be "secondary strategies." Ask Sun Wu's Art of War, etc. In the Ming Dynasty, it was changed to "strategy comes first, and martial arts comes second." If you fail the written test to answer the strategy, you cannot refer to the martial arts test. The initial written test will take three questions, two test questions, and the other question will take four books. Later, the title of the four books was changed to silent martial arts scriptures. The martial arts test requires at least three out of nine arrows on horseback and five out of nine arrows on foot. In the Qing Dynasty, it was changed to try horse shooting first. The horse shot six arrows twice, and the middle three was combined.

Rural Examination: Also known as the big competition, it takes place every three years, which is the so-called autumn examination. There are three rural examinations, on the 9th, 12th and 15th of August. The number of candidates admitted to the rural examinations in the Ming and Qing Dynasties was determined by the central government. The number of candidates in each province ranged from tens to 100 based on the population. The total number of candidates nationwide ranged from 1,000 to 1,200.

Examination: It will be held at the Ministry of Rites in the capital from the 9th to the 15th day of February of the following year after the provincial examination. It is also known as the Spring Division and the Rites Division. The content of the three trials is the same as that of the provincial examinations. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, about two to three hundred scholars were admitted in each subject. In addition to the main list of the Ming and Qing Dynasties examinations, there are usually sub-lists.

Palace Examination: The final level of the imperial examination in the Ming and Qing Dynasties will be held one month after the next examination, that is, March 15. The content of the palace examination is a test of current affairs. Several test questions are prepared by cabinet ministers and temporarily submitted to the emperor for delineation. No one in the Ming and Qing Dynasty palace examinations will be dismissed, only rankings will be assigned. The top three places, including the first prize, the second prize, and the third prize, are listed as the first prize and are regarded as the first prize. Some people in the second prize are regarded as the first prize. Some people in the third prize are regarded as the first prize and are regarded as the first prize.

When it comes to imperial examinations in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, many people may think of eight-part essays. The only use of eight-part prose is to take the imperial examination, and it has no practical value. Eight-part prose is also called Zhiyi or Zhiyi. "Ming History Election Annals" is said to be an eight-part essay concluded by Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Ji. Gu Yanwu said that it began in the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty, and some people even trace its origin back to the scriptures of the Northern Song Dynasty. The formation process of eight-part writing was very long, and it was finalized during the Chenghua period in the middle of the Ming Dynasty.

Because imperial examination results are directly linked to fame, fortune and career, cheating is particularly serious. Each dynasty has a set of corresponding methods on how to ensure the fairness of examinations. Among them, the Qing Dynasty had the most complete examination management system, and the examination room discipline was "the strictest in history." To enter the examination room, one must first conduct a body search, which is much stricter than the current airport security check.

In addition, in order to prevent the gunmen on behalf of the exam from cheating, according to Jiaqing's "Imperial Imperial Book of Xuezheng" and "Examination Ground Regulations·Attached Regulations":"Whenever a student takes an exam, there are gunmen who are accustomed to taking the exam on behalf of the exam, and they will be punished for three months. Smoke smoke and banish troops on the ground. The person who hired the gunman and the person who took over the gunman were guilty of the same crime as the gunman. Those who know the truth and ensure the bond are born with a hundred sticks. In the family where people live, those who do not know will not be punished severely. If there is a different situation, we will be punished severely. If you have stolen money, you will be punished severely by perverting the law."

After the scientific examination, there was the examination of papers and admission. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the examiner's office area was divided into an outer curtain and an inner curtain. In order to prevent examiners from cheating and colluding, no overstepping was allowed during the examination. After candidates handed in their papers, the papers would go through four procedures: acceptance, sealing, transcription and cross-reading, and then the vermilion papers would be handed over to the inner curtain examiner for review.

After arriving at the inner curtain, there are four more processes, namely, marking, searching, admitting and issuing.

In the Imperial Examination Museum, there are not only detailed introductions with pictures and texts, but also some physical test papers from past dynasties.

There are detailed explanations on how to admit, how to spread good news after the winning election, the style of good news, and what kind of treatment after the winning election.

In the museum, there are also some sculpture works that candidates went to Beijing to take the exam at that time, which are very ordinary.

After the admission list came out, it was released. That is, when the golden list names that ancient students most expected, they were announced to the public in the form of an imperial edict.

This is the ancient wall of top scholars. People can search for top scholars from past dynasties and dynasties, or search by region and surname.

Imperial Examination Celebrity District

The district displays portraits of celebrities who have been baptized by the examination hall and later achieved achievements in their respective fields. The picture above shows Du Mu (803-about 852), a scholar in the second year of Emperor Wenzong of the Tang Dynasty, a scholar named Mu Zhi and a scholar named Fanchuan. He was Han nationality and was born in Wannian, Jingzhao (now Xi'an, Shaanxi). Du Mu was an outstanding poet and essayist in the Tang Dynasty and the grandson of Prime Minister Du You.

There are also some famous people in the imperial examinations who are not Jinshi, such as Du Fu. Although he participated in the imperial examinations, he failed to accept the examinations many times. Later, he presented Fu to the emperor, donated gifts to noble people, and even won a small official position. However, his achievements were very high. He is our famous poet saint and has a great influence on later poetry. Many famous articles are popular.

There are many sculptures here, basically all of which are famous figures that everyone is familiar with.

After the 1880s, with the spread of Western learning and the development of the Westernization Movement, the imperial examination system changed. In the 14th year of Guangxu's reign (1888), the Qing government approved the establishment of computing disciplines to recruit candidates, and for the first time included natural science in the examination content. In the twenty-fourth year of Guangxu (1898), a special economic department was added to recommend talents who had experienced economic changes during the times. At the same time, in response to the suggestions of Kang Youwei and others, the policy theory of changing the eight-share test was abolished, the proposition was formulated based on current times, and it was strictly prohibited to determine the merits based on the merits of the script method.

At the beginning of the 20th century, after the Qing court implemented the "New Deal" in the 27th year of Guangxu's reign, major officials in various places filed petitions, reiterating the reform of the imperial examination and restoring special economic subjects. In the 30th year of Guangxu's reign, the Qing court promulgated the "Zouding School Regulations". At this time, the imperial examination had been changed from eight-part to policy theory, but it had not yet been abolished. Because the imperial examinations were based on wealth, people rushed for them, making it difficult for new schools to develop. Therefore, the Qing court issued an edict to approve the petition of Yuan Shikai and Zhang Zhidong, integrating educating people and selecting talents into the school path.

On September 2, 1905, Yuan Shikai and Zhang Zhidong petitioned to suspend the imperial examinations in order to promote schools and pursue practical learning. Starting from the 32nd year of Guangxu's reign (1906), the Qing court issued an edict to stop all township examinations, as well as annual examinations in various provinces. It also ordered the Minister of Education Affairs to quickly issue various textbooks, instructed each governor to make joint efforts, and strictly ordered the prefectures, prefectures and counties to quickly establish Mongolian primary schools throughout the countryside and cities. The Qing government also ordered the establishment of a school as the highest administrative body for managing education in the country. From then on, the education administration became independent from the Ministry of Rites. From then on, the imperial examination system, which had lasted for more than 1300 years in China, was officially abolished.

In the 8th and 9th centuries, our neighbor Japan held tribute ceremonies modeled on the Tang Dynasty system, which were divided into six subjects: scholar, scholar, ming classics, ming methods, medicine, and acupuncture, among which the scholar subjects were the most popular. As the number of children participating in the imperial examinations gradually became aristocratic, the number of students decreased and the examinations became a formality, tribute services in the Edo period disappeared.

The imperial examination system in North Korea began in the 9th year of Guangzong (985) in the Koryo era and was not officially implemented until the Korean period. The imperial examination system during the Korean period was divided into liberal arts, martial arts and miscellaneous subjects (Yi subjects, medicine, Yinyang subjects, and law subjects). The "annual test" is held every three years, and various irregular "additional tests" are also held. From time to time, there are "in-person examinations" in which the king personally visits the examination room. The examinations are divided into the "Visiting the Saint Examination" attended by Confucian scholars in Chengkyunkwan and the "Chuntang Examination" held at Changjing Palace and attended by officials.

Vietnam's imperial examination system began in 1075 and ended in 1919. It was the latest country in the world to abolish the imperial examination system. According to the museum, the imperial examinations in Vietnam first began in the first year of Taining of Renzong in the Li Dynasty (1075). However, the imperial examinations in the Li Dynasty were only held four times in total, and the number of people was small and did not have a significant impact. Later, in the eighth year of Taizong Jianzhong of the Chen Dynasty (1232), the imperial examination was implemented again. The method of implementation was to establish a Imperial College, and students of Imperial College participated in the examination to obtain the qualification of Jinshi. Later, in order to expand the selection of scholars in the imperial examinations, Emperor Ruizong of the Chen Dynasty officially established the Jinshi Section in the second year of Longqing (1314), allowing more people to participate in the Jinshi Examination.

Since the 17th century, China's imperial examination system began to appear in large numbers in English works. In the middle of the 19th century, the East India Company followed the Chinese imperial examination and implemented a civil service examination system. Later, based on the East India Company's examination and selection system, the British mainland began to implement civil service examinations in 1855, and the imperial examination passed through the UK had an important impact on the civil service systems of countries around the world.

Later, countries around the world saw that Britain followed China's imperial examinations and learned from it, including the United States. They also passed the Civil Service Examination Act in 1883, and the civil service examination system was officially established in 1893, which was deeply influenced by the Chinese imperial examination system.

The imperial examination system lasted for more than a thousand years from the establishment of the Sui Dynasty, the completion of the Tang Dynasty, the reform of the Song Dynasty, the fall of the Yuan Dynasty, the peak of the Ming Dynasty, and the demise of the Qing Dynasty. On the road to the imperial examination, countless Chinese scholars focused their lives on a subset of classics and history, and took "learning well will lead to becoming an official" as the guide. They worked their lives and tried their best to exchange for career and fame. The pros and cons of the imperial examination have their own comments, but it is indeed an indispensable part of our history, and its influence can still be seen from today's college entrance examination and other examinations. Yu Fan personally feels that it is very worth seeing. Everyone may wish to go and have a look if you have the opportunity.