The imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty

 

The imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty

 

A snare is a tool for catching fish and birds; it is also a metaphor for laws and legal nets; it is a means of searching and collecting. There is a Chinese idiom called "throw yourself into a snare", which means: throw yourself into a snare, which is a metaphor for committing suicide. The imperial examination system in Chinese history can be said to be a net-wide measure to capture intellectuals to “enclose the world’s talents.”

When Dorji took his daughter Yadan and chatted with Agudenba, Dawa, Azhuo, Chu Sanxing and Xiang Qima on the banks of the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar, Dorji talked about things in Mongolia, culture, and education.

Dorje said:

The Yuan Dynasty faced a difficult problem at the beginning of its establishment, that is, how to rule the huge country of China. The first measure taken by the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty was to carry out large-scale restructuring and reform. The most important one is the implementation of the imperial examination system. In ancient Chinese history, the imperial examination system has always been the main way to select officials. The imperial examination system was a large net for intellectuals. The intellectuals who threw themselves into the net were the elite of society, the vassals of the imperial court, and the puppets of the government.

The Yuan Dynasty learned from the important measures of the political education system of the Tang and Song dynasties when it ruled China, and we can see the conflict and integration of Han and Mongolian cultures.

At the beginning of the founding of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination system was abolished. Later, the Yuan Dynasty reformed the imperial examination system:

First of all, the Yuan Dynasty expanded the scope of the imperial examination system to the whole country, abolished the system of local officials recommending candidates during the Tang and Song Dynasties, and replaced it with national provincial examinations, joint examinations, and palace examinations. This kind of reform not only increases the opportunities for selecting talents, but also helps unify the national system and enhance the authority of the central government. Secondly, the Yuan Dynasty abolished the examiner system of the imperial examinations in the Tang and Song Dynasties and replaced it with examiners dispatched by the central government, thereby ensuring the fairness of the examination. In addition, the Yuan Dynasty also increased the difficulty of the imperial examinations, requiring candidates to have higher cultural and political qualities. This reform encouraged students to study hard and improved their cultural level.

Different from the imperial examination system of the Song Dynasty, the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty merged the civil and military subjects, which were called military examinations and civil examinations. The martial arts examination is divided into three levels, namely number one, second place and third place; the civil examination is divided into Jinshi, Juren and Xieyuan. Under the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty, both Han and Mongolians could take the imperial examination, but the proportion of Han people was higher.

Dorje added:

As time went by, the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty gradually changed. First, the scope of the imperial examination was gradually expanded to include not only Han and Mongolians, but also southern ethnic minorities and foreigners.

Secondly, there are changes in examination format and content. The imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty canceled the poetry and Fu subjects of the Tang Dynasty, and added contents such as Classics and Yi and the Hundred Schools of Thought. At the same time, the imperial examinations of the Yuan Dynasty no longer emphasized the study and application of poetry, but paid more attention to the mastery of national politics and economy.

The imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty also experienced certain evolution during its implementation. The most important evolution was the gradual rise in the status of the imperial examination system, which became the main way to select officials and improve social status. In this process, the imperial examination system played an important role in selecting talents and improving social status.

In the early days of the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination system was mainly used to select officials. With the passage of time, the scope of the imperial examination system gradually expanded, becoming an important way for scholars to improve their social status. In the late Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination system gradually became the only way to rise in society. This evolution also promotes the cultural progress and social stability of society.

In addition, the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty also made some adjustments and reforms in terms of talent selection standards, examination content and methods. For example, in the late Yuan Dynasty, the tribute system was added, that is, the system of obtaining imperial examination qualifications by contributing documents. This system provided a way for people who were either rich or noble to enter the scholar class.

In addition, in the late Yuan Dynasty, the content and standards of the imperial examinations were strengthened, and the examination of political quality was intensified, which had a positive effect on improving the quality and political level of officials.

In general, the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty played an important role in its implementation and evolution, and contributed to the cultural progress and social stability of ancient China.

Dorje continued:

The implementation of the imperial examination system in the Yuan Dynasty had an impact on Han and Mongolian culture. In the imperial examination system of the Yuan Dynasty, Han and Mongolian culture had different manifestations. The imperial examination system was one of the cultural policies under the rule of the Yuan Dynasty. Its purpose was to promote Han culture, but it also inevitably triggered the conflict and integration of Han and Mongolian cultures. During the implementation of the system, Chinese culture and Mongolian culture blended with each other, resulting in some new cultural phenomena. The Han people gained political and social status through the imperial examinations, which also promoted the development of Han culture during the Yuan Dynasty.

The conflict between Han and Mongolian cultures is mainly reflected in examination subjects and cultural identity. The imperial examination system was based on Chinese culture. Mongolian candidates needed to study Chinese culture and pass the Chinese culture exam to obtain official positions. During this process, Mongolian candidates faced language and cultural barriers, which made them face great difficulties in the examination. On the other hand, Han officials often discriminate and unfairly treat Mongolian candidates. The implementation of the imperial examination system in the Yuan Dynasty allowed the Han people to occupy a higher political position, which aroused dissatisfaction among the Mongols. The proportion of Han people taking the imperial examinations was higher than that of Mongolians, and the Han people also had a great advantage in the proportion of obtaining official positions. This situation gradually improved in the later period, but the rights and interests of the Mongols were still affected, which intensified the cultural conflict between Han and Mongolia.

In the late Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination system began to increase the assessment of Mongolian language and culture, providing an opportunity for the integration of Han and Mongolian cultures. Mongolian candidates gradually understand and accept Chinese culture through the study of Chinese culture, which strengthens the connection between Han and Mongolian cultures and promotes the integration of Han and Mongolian cultures. In the process of mutual integration, Han and Mongolian cultures gradually formed a unique cultural style, which had a profound impact on the development of Chinese history and culture.

Duoji sang a folk song "Behind the Net":

 

​Snares are tools for catching birds and beasts.

The bird will not be trapped in the snare if it does not move.

Birds flying high are afraid of being entangled by kites.

Birds fly low for fear of being trapped.

The giant venomous spider is good at building webs.

I cast a dragnet but couldn't catch the sand gull.

 

The feudal imperial examination system is a cruel yoke.

It is difficult for social elites to escape the trap of fame and fortune.

No matter how much you say you envy freedom,

As a result, many heroes fell into the trap one after another.

Those students who dreamed of becoming the emperor's vassal,

If you abandon the truth, you will be scorned through the ages.

 

The autocratic empire has traps everywhere,

Skynets for arrests and killings are everywhere.

I can only sing praises to the Emperor and say long live them.

Don't make any nonsense to discredit the imperial court.

Intellectuals who pursue fame and fortune throw themselves into a trap;

There are unspeakable secrets hidden behind the social elite.