Rare Prefaces Postscripts Shed New Light on the History of the Imperial Examination System
Professor Chen Weizhao, Fudan University
The imperial examination system, which operated in China for 1300 years, was abolished in 1905. Post-abolition, the system was largely cast aside, leading to the widespread loss of examination documents and a progressive obscurity in people’s understanding of China’s imperial examination history. In the late 20th century, the scholarly community began to place a greater emphasis on the collection and organization of these documents, leading to a series of significant achievements. The unveiling of each set of imperial examination documents has directly propelled the study of the subject. Particularly, the prefaces and postscripts of rare examination documents can provide rare insights into the history of the examinations, deepening and even transforming people’s understanding of this historical institution.
Prefaces and postscripts, which include introductory texts such as forewords, prefaces, and guidelines, as well as concluding remarks or postscripts, pertain not only to the content of the documents but also reveal the imperial examination history of the era.
These sections have the potential to challenge our entrenched views on the history of the examinations. For instance, the “Imperial Examination Regulations” during the Qing dynasty's Jiaqing period prohibited the use of names of people and books from after the Qin and Han dynasties. This has perpetuated a misconception that scholars of the Ming and Qing dynasties were devoid of intellectual depth and knowledge. In reality, those who excelled in the examinations were often those with a profound understanding of history and literature. Wu Mo of the Ming dynasty, in the preface to his compilation “Fangrun Zuo Zhuan,” noted, “Since ancient times, few historical records have been as beneficial to the studies of the examinees as ‘Zuo Zhuan (Commentary of Zuo on the Spring and Autumn Annals),’ ‘Guo Yu (Discourses of the States),’ ‘Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian),’ and ‘Han Shu (History of the Han Dynasty).’” Despite being post-Confucius and Mencius works, "Shi Ji" and "Han Shu" were deemed highly beneficial to the “studies of the examinees.” The imperial examination aimed to standardize literary forms and eliminate heterodox ideas, with texts like “Zuo Zhuan” serving as guides to cultivate a proper literary style among scholars.
The discovery of prefaces and postscripts from rare examination documents can also refresh our understanding of certain examination genres. For example, regarding the history of the development of policy study theory in the Yuan dynasty, Zhu Yao is recognized as a prominent figure in policy study creation and theory. However, his work "Ce Xue Ti Gang" (Policy Study Outline) has been lost in China, and the specifics of his policy study theory were previously unknown. A reprinted edition of this book exists in Vietnam, which includes the original book's preface and postscript and guidelines written by a Vietnamese bookshop owner. By comparing these guidelines with the content of Zhu Yao’s work, we can gain a more intuitive understanding of the specific form of policy study during the Yuan dynasty.
Moreover, prefaces and postscripts of rare examination documents can assist in resolving bibliographic issues. Before the discovery of certain rare documents, some common printed editions suffered from poor printing quality, leading to unclear characters and, consequently, incorrect interpretations. For example, the Chinese National Library’s copy of “Wen Chang Bei Yong Pai Zi Li Bu Yun Zhu (Character Arrangement and Rhymed Annotations by the Ministry of Rites)” contains a postscript by a bookshop owner at the end of the “Correction of Character Forms” section. In the “Xu Xiu Siku Quanshu (Continued Compilation of the Four Treasuries)” edition, characters such as “Zhang,” “Fu,” and “Zhu” are unclear, leading to misinterpretations and speculation about the existence of a “Da Ding Ben” (Great Authorized Edition) of the book. However, by consulting the Japanese Naikaku Bunko copy of the book and the Shanghai Library’s copy of “Yi Xie Yuan Ben Yun Lue (Transcribed Rhymed Annotations of the Yuan Edition),” it becomes evident that the postscript refers to the “Zhang Li Bu Jing Fu Ding Ben” (Standard Edition by Zhang of the Ministry of Rites, Jingfu).
Through the investigation of prefaces and postscripts from rare examination documents, our understanding of the history of China’s imperial examinations can be brought closer to the historical truth.
Published on March 28, 2024