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Neo-Confucianism and the Chinese Bureaucracy. Background. Why Conf weakened by fall of Han? Revival under Sui/Tang/Song Supplants Buddhism Conf Scholar Officials. Tang/Song Gov’t Structure. Emperor Censorate 6 Major Ministries (e.g. public works, army) Other Bur Roles
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Background • Why Conf weakened by fall of Han? • Revival under Sui/Tang/Song • Supplants Buddhism • Conf Scholar Officials
Tang/Song Gov’t Structure • Emperor • Censorate • 6 Major Ministries (e.g. public works, army) • Other Bur Roles • Officials in major ministries • Writers of Imperial Decrees • Local Officials • Overseers of Local Officials
Exam System • Who were the bureaucrats? • Expansion of Exam System under Tang/Song • Advantages of Educated, Merit-Based Officials?
Why an Exam System? • Who were the bureaucrats? • Expansion of Exam System under Tang/Song • Advantages of Educated, Merit-Based Officials? • Cultured not Military • State controls access
Exams Discussion • What was tested?
The civil service exams - Three levels of exams given ~every 3 yrs. 1) Provincial exam given in each of China's ~300 distr's Day 1: 3 questions on the Four Books & 1 poem composition Day 2: Questions ~the Five Classics & repeat part of yesterday to ensure he had indeed written those answers Day 3: Question on some past or present govt. policy •Each contestant alone in a sparse cell w/own food to answer questions •~10,000 tested-> searched at 2 gates for cheating mat's-> long time •1% or less passed 2) Metropolitan exam: much like prov. exam • 10% pass, despite lots of cheating & crib notes. • Proctors copied test answers-> graders couldn' recognize calligraphy 3) Palace Exam: taken in the presence of the emp; • 4 tests: 2 on physique & 2 on knowledge • Candidate checked for phys. appearance, no accent, calligraphy • Contestant wrote life history later to see if calligr. matched exam, • Ltd material to test on-> few questions to ask-> rephrase them
A typical civil service exam & answer Question: “Confucius said of Zuchan that in him were to be found 4 virtues that belong to the way of the gentleman. What are these virtues? “
A typical civil service exam & answer Question: “Confucius said of Zuchan that in him were to be found 4 virtues that belong to the way of the gentleman. What are these virtues? “ Answer: “In his private conduct he was courteous; in serving his master he was punctilious; in providing for the needs of the people he gave them even more than their due; in exacting service from the people he was just. I answer the question with respect.”
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • How did education work?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • How did education work? • Who took the tests?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • How did education work? • Who took the tests? • Levels?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • How did education work? • Who took the tests? • Levels? • Jinshi?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • How did education work? • Who took the tests? • Levels? • Jinshi? • Chances of Passing?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • How did education work? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • Who took the tests? • Levels? • Jinshi? • Chances of Passing? • Meritocracy?
Exams Discussion • What was tested? • How did education work? • What was education system of Zhu Xi? • Who took the tests? • Levels? • Jinshi? • Chances of Passing? • Meritocracy? • Modern Standardized Tests?
Neo-Confucianism • Familiar Confucian Concepts • Neo-Confucian Updates • Buddhism/Taoism • Self-Cultivation and Self-Fulfillment • Renewal of Social Hierarchy