policy essay; imperial examination essay
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
policy essay; essay discussing current political affairs and proposing policies
formalA genre of political writing in imperial China. It was a formal prose essay written for the emperor or government to propose solutions to contemporary problems.
He studied day and night how to write policy essays for the imperial examinations.
This policy essay analyzed the border defense issues of the time and proposed a series of reform measures.
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During the Tang Dynasty, writing policy essays was one of the important means of selecting talent.
noun
the 'Policy Essay' section of the imperial examination (late Qing)
archaicSpecifically refers to the reformed examination format introduced in the late Qing Dynasty (late 19th/early 20th century), replacing the rigid 'eight-legged essay' (八股文) to test practical knowledge of statecraft and modern affairs.
During the late Qing New Policies, the imperial examinations were changed to test policy essays to select talent knowledgeable about current affairs.
After the eight-legged essay was abolished, the policy essay became the key component determining the fate of examination candidates.