imperial examination system; civil service exam
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
the imperial examination system (from Sui/Tang to Qing Dynasty)
A historical system lasting from the Sui Dynasty (581-618) to the Qing Dynasty (1905), testing candidates on classical literature, policy essays, and later the Eight-Legged Essay.
Kē科
jǔ举
zhì制
dù度
zài在
Zhōng中
guó国
lì历
shǐ史
shàng上
yán延
xù续
le了
yī一
qiān千
duō多
nián年
。
The imperial examination system lasted for more than a thousand years in Chinese history.
Tā他
tōng通
guò过
kē科
jǔ举
kǎo考
shì试
chéng成
wéi为
jìn进
shì士
。
He became a jinshi (presented scholar) through the imperial examination.
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Míng明
Qīng清
shí时
qí期
，
wén文
kē科
kǎo考
bā八
gǔ股
wén文
，
wǔ武
kē科
kǎo考
qí骑
shè射
。
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the civil exam tested eight-legged essays, while the military exam tested horsemanship and archery.