An Analysis of the Question Formats and Their Functions in the Imperial Examinations
As the subjects and sessions of the imperial examinations evolved,so did the types of questions.The overall structure of the questions was predominantly subjective.Frequently used question types in the imperial examinations included reciting scriptures(tie jing);ink meaning,oral meaning,classic meaning,classic questions,and classic doubts(mo yi,kou yi,jing yi,jing wen,jing yi);poetic proses,lyrical proses,trial poetic prose,regulated prose(shi fu,ci fu,shi tie shi,lv fu);miscellaneous writings,edicts,decrees,admonitions,memorials,praises,judgments(za wen,zhao,gao,zhen,biao,zan,pan);essays on the Four Books,essays on the Five Classics,eight-legged essays(si shu wen,wu jing wen,ba gu wen);strategies,discussions,counter-strategies,strategic questions,current affairs strategies(ce,lun,dui ce,ce wen,shi wu ce),etc.Additionally,military examinations(wu ju)and child prodigy examinations(tong zi ju)each featured their own question types.Each question type served distinct purposes in selecting talents and fulfilling specific functions within the examination framework.By establishing clear standards for evaluating literature,the exams aimed to combine assessments of knowledge and abilities,thereby promoting the imperial examination's goal of scientifically selecting talented individuals while reinforcing Confucian principles.
imperial examination questionsquestion formatsfunctions of examination questionsstandards for evaluating literatureexamination history
万方数据
维普
