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Imperial Examination
展覽總說
科舉是中華文明的一大特色，自從隋文帝開皇七年（587）命各州「歲貢三人」應考「秀才」 ，至清光緒三十年（1904）甲辰末代科考為止，連綿了一千三百多年。這期間文官產生的大宗即是科舉制度，廣大的士子進入了科舉考試之門，即進入廣義的士大夫集團的社會。科舉中不中舉，決定了士子一生的命運。中國社會如果作「社會階層的分析」 ， 「科舉」可以視為一個檢證的標準，科舉大門的門內與門外，中分了中國社會為兩個板塊。
在中國的文官產生制度中，科舉是相對較公正的制度，隋唐以下的名官諫臣、文人雅士多是出身科舉集團的成員。士子在朝為官，參與朝廷政治事務；退居返鄉，則成了一鄉意見領袖的鄉賢。台灣士子亦曾在科舉中崢嶸。這種模式成了千年來中國社會的穩定結構。民國來，新國體建立，但中央政府機構的設計（如考試院）、公務員產生的機制（如普考、高考）、大學與研究機構的運作，仍可看到科舉制度深遠的影響。
2024年正逢甲辰，重新觀覽科舉文物，可以體會傳統華人社會科舉文化內涵，並且思考一項制度對國家、社會，乃至於個人的影響。
Introduction
The imperial examination system is a significant feature of the history of
Chinese civilization, which lasted for more than 1,300 years from the seventh
year of the reign of Emperor Wen of Sui (587), when he ordered all provinces
to send three people to take the xiucai (lit. “cultivated talent”) examination, to
the jiachen year during the early reign of the Guangxu Emperor (1904–1905)
of the Qing dynasty. During this period, the vast majority of civil officials
were produced by this institution, and by traversing through its door, the
more general scholar was able to enter the world of scholar-officials. Stated
bluntly, the imperial examinations determined the fate of a scholar’s life.
When considering traditional Chinese society from a social class perspective,
the exam system can thus be viewed as a verifiable standard, one which clearly
demarcates the aspiring graduate’s status within the system and dividing
society into distinct spheres.
Among the historical systems for the cultivation and selection of civil officials
in China, the imperial examinations were relatively fair, and well-known
officials and literati from the Sui (581–617) and Tang (618–907) dynasties
onwards were more often than not byproducts of the exam system. Graduates
who later became officials often participated in imperial political affairs, and
once retiring to their hometowns, would naturally become local leaders and be
frequently honored as“worthy persons.” Even scholars and officials in Taiwan
climbed to the loftiest heights of the system. As a stable pillar, this model
anchored Chinese society for over a thousand years. From the Republican era
(1911–1949) onwards, although the imperial examinations disappeared as an
institution under the establishment of a new nation and education system, its
profound influence can still be felt within central government agencies (e.g.,
the Examination Yuan), processes designed to produce civil servants (e.g., the
pukao examinations for government service and the gaokao higher exams),
andthe functions of universities and other research institutions.
Being the jiachen year, 2024 is an opportunity for us to revisit cultural relics
of the imperial examination system, enabling us to further understand and
experience the cultural connotations linked to the exams within traditional
Chinese society and to reflect on the impact of the system on the state, society,
and even the individual.