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Many articles on the historical role of the imperial examination system focus on the selection of outstanding talents by the imperial examination system. From the beginning of the imperial examination system, many people emphasized the "getting people" of the imperial examination system. "The Book of the New Tang Dynasty, Election Annals" is represented by Jinshi Branch, saying: "Generally speaking, Jinshi is particularly expensive and its people are the most prosperous." Historians of later generations often demonstrate along this line, and even list a large number of outstanding talents from the imperial examination to support their arguments.
However, if we think further, we will find that citing a group of outstanding talents selected through the imperial examination does not mean that the imperial examination system is superior to other systems for selecting officials. Because there are still many outstanding people who are officials by other means. Here, the case is not convincing. Logically speaking, to show that the imperial examination system has advantages over other systems in selecting talents, it is not how many examples you can cite, but whether you have statistical data on the proportion of outstanding talents of those who came from the imperial examination and those who did not. However, due to the limitation of historical data, it is very difficult to count the officials who came from the imperial examination, and it is even more difficult to count the officials who did not come from the imperial examination. Therefore, it is almost impossible to discuss the historical role of the imperial examination system from the perspective of selecting outstanding talents under the existing data conditions.
to say the least, even if it can be analyzed statistically, it will not help solve the problem at all. Before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, there was no imperial examination system. But we can't prove at all that after the implementation of the imperial examination system, the outstanding proportion of the official team is larger than before the implementation of the imperial examination system. No one can be sure that there are more outstanding officials in the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties than in the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties. Therefore, it is unreliable in academic research to explain the historical role of the imperial examination system, which is conducive to the selection of outstanding talents.
The author tries to discuss this issue from another angle. That is, the historical function of the imperial examination system lies not in its selection of outstanding talents, but in its satisfaction of the needs of China's feudal political rule. From this point of view, I dare not say that the above problems can be solved satisfactorily, but at least it can inspire researchers' ideas from another way. Whether a system of selecting officials can exist for a long time, the first thing is whether it can meet the political needs of rulers; Whether it can meet the needs of the rulers is the premise of getting the attention of the rulers. It is at this point that the imperial examination system shows its superiority over other official selection systems.
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From the perspective of meeting the needs of China's feudal political rule, the historical role of the imperial examination system lies in its great affinity with the centralized political system and its high adaptability to the needs of continuously strengthening centralization after the maturity of China's feudal society.
As we all know, there is a very obvious difference between the imperial examination system and the military, inspection and removal systems implemented before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, that is, the top-down way of the imperial examination system. The implementation of the military service system depends on the bottom-up military service assessment report; The implementation of the inspection system depends on the recommendation from bottom to top; The implementation of the system of exclusion is to directly hand over the use of human rights to the following. However, the imperial examination system is quite different. Its standards are completely determined by the central government, and the selection of personnel is completely determined by the central government. It is a top-down way of selecting officials. The local autonomy of employing people was completely deprived by the imperial examination presided over by the central government.
Of course, the imperial examination system is also implemented from bottom to top in concrete implementation. In the imperial examination in the Tang Dynasty, it was "rural tribute" first and then "provincial examination"; Until the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was also the first time to "have an after-school exam" and then "have an after-school exam". However, this kind of down-first-then-up is only a matter of order, not a bottom-up problem of the initiative in selecting officials. The "rural tribute" in the Tang Dynasty is completely different from the recommendation under the inspection system, and it is even more different from the self-appointment and dismissal under the system of removal. Local officials are just obeying orders and pre-selecting according to the specific criteria for selecting officials stipulated by the central government. In fact, the "rural examination" in the Ming and Qing Dynasties has become a national unified regional examination run by the central government. This unified standard and method of selecting officials excludes the power of local officials to explain policies. In contrast, it is obvious that the inspection and removal system implemented in Han Dynasty deviated from centralization. Under the system of inspection and removal, even if the central government has provisions on the standards of employing people, the power of interpretation is in the hands of local promoters. In the sense of law, whoever has the power to interpret the law will have the legislative power in the practical sense. Therefore, after the establishment of the centralized autocratic rule system in the Han Dynasty, the power of employing people fell into the hands of local officials through inspection and removal. The emergence of local separatist regimes at the end of the Han Dynasty is closely related to the procuratorial system and the local power groups of "one's intimate disciples and followers spread all over the world" created by the elimination. Historians of later generations believe that the inspection and removal resulted in the relationship of patriarchy and personal attachment between local governors and subordinate officials, "each flatters his master and doesn't know that there is a son of heaven" (Wang Fuzhi: Reading as a Mirror). The imperial examination system does not need to be explained by local officials at all, so there is no human rights of local officials, and the spirit of centralization has been thoroughly reflected after the establishment of the imperial examination system. Under the imperial examination system, the local "township tribute" and "juror" will not think that their "tribute" and "juror" are due to the grace of a local official. More importantly, even if the scholar has obtained the title of "rural tribute" or primary fame, he must pass the national unified examination before deciding on the choice. In this way, the power of selecting local officials is completely deprived by the imperial examination system, and the way in which officials are produced is very corresponding to the requirements of centralization. It is impossible to create local forces that hinder centralization by selecting officials. Local officials can form private parties through other channels, which is a problem outside the imperial examination system. For example, the "entry into the screen" of the buffer region in the Tang Dynasty and the "western election" of Wu Sangui in the early Qing Dynasty just proved this point from the opposite side.
Because the imperial examination system is highly adapted to the need of strengthening centralization, it has been highly valued by the rulers since the Sui and Tang Dynasties. At the beginning of the imperial examination system, Li Shimin once had a famous saying. He watched the new Jinshi file in from the door and proudly said, "All heroes in the world are in my life!" " Obviously, in Li Shimin's eyes, he not only saw that the new Jinshi was a talented person, but also saw that the imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty did meet the requirements of feudal autocratic monarchy and achieved the effect of centralization and consolidation of feudal rule. First, officials choose the power to be exercised by the central court, which strengthens the unity and concentration of the national political power. Second, there are unified standards for selecting officials, and people who want to be officials all over the country try their best to adapt to these standards, which strengthens the unity of thinking. Third, it opened the way for commoners landlords and civilians in various places, stimulated and snared a group of middle and lower intellectuals, and gave them the opportunity to participate in political power, which reconciled class contradictions and expanded the foundation of the ruling class. Fourth, the imperial examination seems to be the fairest. Anyone who studies well is qualified to take the exam as an official, which not only disguises the class essence of bureaucracy, but also attracts intellectuals of the whole society, so that they can bury themselves in their studies and develop an extremely tame character, and it is not easy to have unstable thoughts of dissatisfaction with feudal rule. This is the fundamental reason why the imperial examination system can last for 13 years in feudal society. The imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty made a new development in the system of selecting scholars in China's feudal society. It summed up the experience and lessons of selecting scholars from the Han Dynasty to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, and created the scale of selecting scholars in the examination in a more detailed and strict way. It had certain objective standards, and it was more or less necessary to learn by points. Under the historical conditions at that time, it was possible for ordinary intellectuals with humble origins to have the opportunity to enter the official career, break down the old and strict feudal hierarchical boundaries, and select some talented people to compete with Chaju and Jiupin.
This year marks the 1th anniversary of the abolition of the imperial examination system. However, in the past 1 years, the repercussions caused by the abolition of the imperial examination are still endless. Today, the modern process of China culture is fettering many disputes, as well as the modern education mechanism in China. In the past 1 years, I think it is necessary to treat the imperial examination system rationally and calmly. It is worth considering that the imperial examination system lasted for nearly 13 years from Sui and Tang Dynasties to Ming and Qing Dynasties, which we can't ignore. Many people think that the imperial examination system always takes Fan Jin and Kong Yiji, fictionalized in literary works, as the representatives of imperial examination figures, thinking that the imperial examination system has brought up this kind of corrupt scholars, but ignores a large number of real outstanding imperial examination talents. To study a system, we should learn from the true side of history? The emperor invaded the emperor. See? What's the point? Garden day? Hey? Basic saddle fan ∈ forgive thin k? The craftsman is doing it? ┗? J sword? What's wrong with you? Now? Fear? Fight swollen and raise fiber? ┞ What kind of straight cones are frozen? Penalty? ⒓⒔⒔⒓? Si Tian? Tartars? Sulfone depends on poverty and heat? Knock a nettle?
If we compare the imperial examination system with the current college entrance examination system, I think the imperial examination system fundamentally broke the monopoly of the rich and noble on the ruling power, and gave more iron men the opportunity to participate in politics. As long as you have the ability to take the imperial examination, as long as you have the enthusiasm for the imperial examination, you will have the opportunity. Historically, most of the people who took the imperial examination were poor, which deepened the political absorption of social intelligence, which is sufficient. Reflecting on today's college entrance examination, how many poor students have lost higher education opportunities because they can't afford tuition fees. The decrease in the proportion of rural students in colleges and universities now just illustrates this problem.
As a direct result of the imperial examination, more than 1, Jinshi and more than one million juries were selected. There is a popular saying that none of those who were admitted to the top scholar in ancient times were learned, which seems not to be the case. It is a fact that it is too special for more outstanding figures to get opportunities. But after all, there are a large number of figures such as Wang Wei, Liu Gongquan, He Zhizhang, Zhang Jiuling, Lv Mengzheng, Zhang Xiaoxiang, Justin Chen, Wen Tianxiang, Yang Shen, Kang Hai, Weng Tong and Zhang Jian among the top scholars, and it is unbelievable to say that they have no knowledge. This is only the top scholar. If the scope is expanded to Jinshi, a very spectacular talent list will be drawn up.
in fact, the drawbacks of the imperial examination system are not brought by the imperial examination itself, but have a great relationship with this social psychology. From the imperial examination to today's civil service examination, in fact, the civil service examination system also spread to the imperial examination system in essence. Although today's civil service examination has not been strongly criticized, if the state continues to provide civil servants' salaries, so that the whole resources are concentrated on civil servants, then Fan Jin and Kong Yiji characters in the novel may also be produced. When thinking about the imperial examination system, we should analyze the imperial examination itself metaphysically, instead of linking those irrelevant factors. Here, I can make an analogy. If a BMW is driving on a bumpy road in the countryside and a Xiali car is driving on an expressway, I think BMW will definitely not be able to outrun Xiali. Of course, this pavement is a society. If a society is not good, it may destroy a good examination system. Similarly, if the road surface is not good, BMW can't give full play to its advantages, and even can't run beyond Xiali. As a rational person, I certainly don't think that BMW is inferior to Xiali.
The imperial examination system shows such enthusiasm: all talents in this land are likely to be promoted, and they will certainly be promoted. Even if they are old and late, as long as they can catch up with the exam, they will always reserve opportunities for you. Of course, this enthusiasm is greatly reduced in concrete implementation, but after all, it has ignited a rapidly spreading fire of hope in China, which has suddenly inspired countless real and self-confessed talents to accept competition and selection. However, our current civil service examination shows how many people are under one year of age, and there are still many positions that only accept fresh graduates.
Of course, the drawback of the imperial examination is that the imperial examination in the Ming and Qing Dynasties always used stereotyped stereotyped eight-part essays. Therefore, some creative talents are often kept out of the imperial examination room. For example, Pu Songling, the author of Strange Tales from a Lonely Studio, is full of talent, but he is frustrated in the imperial examination room and has never been a juror in his life. However, Cao Xueqin, the literary master who launched the historic masterpiece A Dream of Red Mansions, has never even been admitted as a scholar.
On September 2nd, 195, with a piece of imperial edict issued by yet we called and urged a thousand times before she started toward us, the imperial examination system which lasted for 13 years in China finally came to an end. In the past 1 years, we have been unable to establish a better examination system. The content of the scientific examination is mainly cultural accomplishment and familiarity with the classics of various philosophers. Although this examination may not be appropriate, it undoubtedly has an interesting and positive impact on the social center of gravity and personality center. A large number of scholars go into politics, which aggravates the civilization of society rather than accelerates the decay of society. However, the college entrance examination system distorts students' minds, leaving each candidate only in the sea of questions and ignoring the cultivation of Chinese studies and humanistic spirit. Reflecting on the contemporary education system, the imperial examination system plays a great role in making up for the humanistic spirit of pursuing practicality too much and neglecting great use.
In the 1,3-year history of the imperial examination in China, the imperial examination system was abolished several times. Soon after the abolition, someone proposed to rehabilitate the imperial examination system and demanded that it be restored. This shows that the imperial examination system has always been controversial, but the imperial examination is only to select officials. However, the college entrance examination system selects all kinds of talents, especially those who are scholars.
Of course, there are still many disadvantages in the imperial examination, but the thinking about the imperial examination should go deep into the social structure and political framework at that time. In particular, studying the history and understanding the political system at that time played a great role in thinking about the imperial examination system. I dare not assert whether the imperial examination system needs to be rehabilitated.
the imperial examination system refers to a system in which the imperial court allows ordinary people and officials to voluntarily register with the official government, and then pass the examination of different subjects, select talents from them and award them to official positions according to their achievements. The imperial examination system was formally implemented in the Tang Dynasty. It has been closely accompanied by the history of Chinese civilization for more than 1,3 years, and ended in the last examination of Jinshi in the twenty-seventh year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty.
The imperial examination system in ancient China went through several periods:
The Sui Dynasty was the origin of the imperial examination system in ancient China. After the Sui Dynasty unified the whole country, in order to adapt to the development and changes of feudal economic and political relations, to expand the participation of the feudal ruling class in political power and to strengthen centralization, the power of selecting officials was restored to the central government, and the imperial examination system was used instead of the previous nine-grade system. The great cause of Emperor Yangdi of Sui Dynasty set up the Jinshi branch in three years, and selected the Jinshi by examination.
The Tang Dynasty was a period when the imperial examination system in ancient China was complete. In the Tang dynasty, the subjects of examination were divided into two categories: regular subjects and system subjects. The exam held by stages every year is called the regular course, and the exam temporarily held by the emperor is called the system course. The main subjects of regular subjects are Ming Jing and Jinshi. There are two kinds of candidates who take part in the imperial examination: one is students from imperial academy, Hong Wen Pavilion, Chongwen Pavilion and state and county academies in various places, and they were called students at that time. They can take part in the imperial examination held by the imperial court in Shangshu Province after passing the examination in the school, also known as