Complete Collection of Imperial Examination Papers from China's Zhaoguan Hall (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Deng Hongbo et al.
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Regarding the editorial style of this book, it is necessary to provide an explanation here. The book consists of two main parts: the main text and appendices. The main text is arranged in chronological order by examination category, generally including a brief biography of the top candidate, the palace examination questions, and the palace examination essay. Some examination categories may include additional appendices such as imperial rewards, thank-you letters from the top candidate, provincial examination questions, and eight-legged essays, along with related documents. For each dynasty, palace examination questions without essays are compiled into separate sections and included as part of the main text, arranged at the end of each dynasty. As for the selection and compilation of the book, the following principles are followed. The "top candidate's palace examination essay" collected in this book refers to the essay that enabled the top candidate to become the top candidate, with Emperor Taizu of Song as the dividing point. Before this, it was essentially a provincial examination essay, while after this, it became a true palace examination essay. The older the era, the more difficult it is to collect documents. Tang and Song documents are particularly precious, while Ming and Qing documents are relatively easier to obtain. Therefore, the selection criteria may vary, with slightly broader standards for Tang and Song and stricter standards for Ming and Qing. The top candidate is produced by the highest level of the imperial examination. The palace examination, as one link in the examination chain, is closely connected to the provincial examination (provincial examination). In light of this, the book includes a small number of top candidate provincial examination documents, including eight-legged essays, as appendices, aiming to reflect the overall picture of the imperial examination.