Imperial Examination System: Longest Educational System in Chinese History

Intro

Today in China, many students focus on the National Entrance Examination, which is an academic exam and a prerequisite for entrance to many higher education institutions. This exam is said to be the survival of the Imperial or Civil Examination System. The Imperial Examination System, which lasted 1300 years, is the longest educational system in Chinese history.
History
To understand why the imperial examination system was put in place, one must have an understanding of Chinese Feudal Society, which lasted from (587 AD-1904 A.D.)
Chinese feudal society’s ruling power was inherited within the family clan and the emperor was the supreme ruler of the realm who was bestowed with the duty to rule the people and guide the people. Officials in central government were appointed by the emperor. For the system to work, a large amount of officials were required and able to exist. This laid a basic foundation for the imperial examination system. The Imperial Examination System built an effective bridge that linked the common people with officialdom. The opportunity for common people to participate directly in politics enhanced the system.
Those who took the civil service exams were scholars who quickly became a new social class. These scholars traveled, transmitted knowledge and participated in politics. They were dispersed across the country and often lived in rural areas, and achieved their highest and most prestigious titles by their performance on the central government's triennial civil service examinations. These titles had to be earned by each generation, and since the examinations had strict numerical quotas, competition was fierce. Government officials were selected from those who passed the examinations, which tested for mastery of the Confucian Classics. This allowed for people to hold a high position without being a noble, but by succeeding in the government exams. It was one route to riches and fame.
The civil service exam system was initiated in the Sui dynasty (587 A.D.) and later was used by successive Chinese dynasties for over 1300 years, all the way to the Qing dynasty (1904 AD). It shaped, developed and ultimately faded in Chinese Feudal Society. The imperial school system, personnel system and examination system formed the talent1 management system in feudal China. The school system was applied to the training of talents; the Imperial Examination System was applied to the selection of talents and the personnel system was applied to the use of talents. Among the three, the Imperial Examination System played a key role. It was the core of imperial education and baton of teaching and learning. The contents of this examination included such philosophies as Confucianism, Taoism, and Moism ... etc., which formed a complete set of norms of conduct and ideological theory - the essential part of Chinese feudal system and the soul of traditional Chinese culture. The imperial government had an active hand in education in administering the various levels of the imperial examinations or civil service examinations
The Criteria to enter into the Examinations did not depend on either family origin or nomination by high officials. Rather all those healthy, well-behaved, with a clean personal record, free from serving a term of funeral of one's parents could take part in the examination. This was said as "selecting despite one's family background", which greatly increased the range or scope of selection and enlarged the ruling base of the imperial empire.
The Imperial Examination was divided into several categories, mainly the Regular Examination, Irregular Examination and Examination for military officialdom.
Regular Examination The Regular Examination was the basic part of the imperial examination. It was divided into disciplines (equivalent to the classification of talents) and varied at different historical stages. For example in the Sui dynasty, there were about four disciplines: Cultivated Talents, Presented Scholar, Outstanding Scholar (Junshi), and Classicist. The contents of the Regular Examination were not fixed. They varied from discipline to discipline. Generally speaking, they included Confucian classics, poetry, essay, political science and current affairs, law code, science of wording, mathematics, history.
In Sui and Tang, it was held once a year; since the middle of Song, once every three years. here were special rooms of examination. In Tang and Song, they were similar to the classrooms today but during Ming and Qing, they were separated small rooms. Each candidate took one room. All the activities of the examinees during the examinations would be in the rooms, e.g. examining, meals and rest. Officials would call the roll; check the examinees' clothing before the examinees enter into the examination rooms. The examinees should bring water, carbon, and grease torch, dinner set with them. The examination could last day and night.
Examination for Military Officialdom
Empress Wu Zetian in 702 A.D. initiated this examination, the candidates were sent to the capital by the local governments to be examined in the Ministry of War in November. They were tested on shooting on foot, on horse, weight lifting, language and type of build ... Later on the military strategy books were included. Those who passed were entitled like those in the Regular Examination but military positions were awarded
Irregular Examination This examination took place by the order of the Emperors in search of special talents. Candidates were normally nominated by high-ranking capital officials and by Prefects. They were always few in number and no more than a dozen normally proved acceptable. The time and sections of this examination were at the pleasure of the Emperors.