The imperial examination system of the Ming Dynasty can also be called the college entrance examination, which is even stricter than the college entrance examination.
The imperial examination system of the Ming Dynasty was a very complete and rigorous system for selecting officials. It is mainly divided into four levels: the hospital examination, the township examination, the general examination and the palace examination.
First of all, candidates need to pass the college examination, which is presided over by the provincial academic administration and held in Fucheng or Zhili Prefecture. Candidates who pass the college examination are called shengyuan, which is commonly known as "xianggong" or "xiucai". This marks that the candidate has left the commoner class and stepped into the door of the ruling class.
This was followed by the township examination, which was held in the southern and northern capitals and the provincial capitals, and was held every three years and presided over by the chief examiner appointed by the emperor. Those who pass the township examination are called lifters, and those who lift them are eligible to participate in the next level of examination. Even if you fail the examination, you can still be awarded an official position.
Then there is the general examination, in the second year of the township examination, the whole country will go to Beijing to participate in the general examination, which is presided over by the Ministry of Rites. Those who pass the examination are called "Gongshi".
The last level is the palace examination, that is, the examination presided over by the emperor himself. After the palace examination, the candidates will be divided into the top three, all of whom are called Jinshi.
The content of the imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty was mainly based on the propositions of the Four Books and the Five Classics, and was conducted in the format of the Eight Strands. The examination format includes written examination, oral examination, etc. This system was widely promoted and implemented in the Ming Dynasty, and became an important way of social mobility, allowing many students from poor families to be promoted to officials. At the same time, the imperial examination system also promoted the prosperity and development of Ming Dynasty culture, and promoted the inheritance and innovation of Confucian thought.
Zhang Juzheng stood out through the imperial examination.
Zhang Juzheng had excellent results in the scientific examination, and he was admitted to the Jinshi examination in the twenty-sixth year of Jiajing (1547), and achieved a good result of the ninth place in the second class. He was smart since he was a child, and he was only 23 years old when he was admitted to the Jinshi. After that, he rose all the way, and finally served as the first assistant of the cabinet in the early years of Wanli, presiding over the Wanli New Deal, known as the "Zhang Juzheng Reform" in history.
It is worth noting that Zhang Juzheng had a special experience in the township examination. When he took the township test for the first time, he was deliberately failed by the then governor of Huguang, Gu Lan, because of his young and vigorous spirit, in order to let him sharpen himself more. However, Zhang Juzheng was not discouraged, but studied harder, and finally passed the second township examination and became a teenager.
In addition, Zhang Juzheng also paid great attention to educating his children, encouraging them to become officials through real talent, rather than relying on privilege and favor. This concept of education was very valuable in the social context of the time.