【Description】

 

In the Qing Dynasty, candidates wrote their answers using black ink known as 'ink scrolls'. The ink scrolls were sealed and collected, then copied again using red ink, known as the 'red scrolls', to avoid revealing the candidates' identities through the handwriting.

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This exhibition displays the three sets of questions and answer sheets from the Jiangnan Provincial Exam of the fifth year of Emperor Guangxu's reign. One of the red scrolls from the second session bears the examiner's comment written in blue ink, stating, "Verbose and lacking a sense of coherence." This indicates a negative evaluation, suggesting the candidate might have failed this provincial examination.