Week 13: Medieval China IDs

Examination System

The examinations in Imperial China determined who was upwards in mobility for entering the state's bureaucracy among the population for centuries. Before the system was introduced, most appointments in the Imperial bureaucracy were based on recommendations from prominent aristocrats and existing officials, it was accepted that recommended individuals must be of aristocratic rank. In late Imperial China the system was the major mechanisms by which the central government captured and held the loyalty of local-level elites. The system distributed its prizes according to provincial and prefectural quotas, this meant that officials were recruited from the entire country.The system also helped to maintain cultural unity and consensus on basic values.

♥Arianna Ramseur♥