The Chinese imperial examination system was one of the main channels to obtain official positions in ancient times. The competition was intense. Aside from years of rigorous studying, there were inevitably cases of cheating. The most common form of cheating was carrying cheat sheets, often in the form of silk scrolls or pocket-sized booklets. Silk was easily foldable and concealable, while pocket-sized booklets could be easily hidden.

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The cheat sheet on display is believed to be from the Qing Dynasty (17th-19th century).  The characters on the sheet are approximately 0.5 square centimeters in size. The handwriting is neat and covers the entire length of the silk scroll. From a modern perspective, it is truly a craftmanship.