Civil Exam May 18, 2010
The Civil Examination
features, nature and implications
a personal interpretation
Kai-ming Cheng
SRT Sciences of Learning
May 18, 2010
Education in East Asia
Korea
North Korea
Japan
Taiwan
Mainland China
Hong Kong
Vietnam
Singapore (?)
Education in East Asia
Common features:
examination as the core activity
 frequency & intensity of examinations
 high legitimacy for examinations
 overwhelming examination pressure
 pervasive tutorial schools

China:
The Home of Examinations
Education in Ancient China
Synonyms
Education
 Attending schools
 Study
 Examination
 Learning
 Reading books

The Examination ...
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The Civil Examination
Normally three tiers
Started formally 603 AD (隋)(shui dynasty)
Four Books & Five Classics
Assessment: Essay writing
Appointment to the Officialdom
科舉
始於隋朝
 單一功能
 社會上升
 十年寒窗
 拜為宰相
 出身寒微
 目的鮮明

傳入日韓
選拔官員
唯一途徑
一朝成名
招為駙馬
衣錦榮歸
全在功名
The Examination: Analysis
Preparing for the civil examination at the imperial court:
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Vision
Mission
Strategy
Curriculum
Mode of Learning
Entrance requirements
The Examination: Vision
was solely preparing
for the Civil Exam
 Civil Exam was solely for
recruitment into the officialdom
 Joining the officialdom was the
sole means of social mobility
 “Education”
The Examination: Vision (con’t)

Reward to success was overwhelming
 appointment to power 拜為宰相
 marriage to the royal family 招為駙馬
 glorious home-coming 衣錦榮歸
 …...
The Examination: Mission
Excellence in the Examination
 Good memory
 Application of the classics
 Good writing skills
 Ideas that attract appreciation
 …...

The Examination: Strategies
 Hard-working:
“Ten years by the cold window”
十年寒窗
 Emphasis
on efforts
“Diligence compensates for Stupidity”
勤能補拙
The Examination: Curriculum

Basic Literacy


reading, reciting, writing
Four Books and Five Classics
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mostly social theories
little natural science
no practical skills
The Examination: Learning Mode
Textbooks readily available
 Basically self-study
 Self-motivated
 Distance-learning
 Teachers a luxury
 Schools dispensable
 …...
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The Examination:
Entrance Requirements
 None!
The Examination:
Perceived Beauties
Extremely simple system: only exam
 Extremely simple curriculum: classics
 Extremely low-cost: no teaching, no fees,
distance learning
 Extremely fair: no class discrimination
 Extremely rigorous: open and tight
 …...
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Implications ...
It was about social mobility, not about
learning of knowledge and skills
 Curriculum relevance is purely political
 …..
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Implications ...
It was only about scholarship, which
means reading and writing
 It favored only scholars;
“everything is low but reading”
 ….
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Implications ...
It was single measure of single
intelligence
 Effort was treasured over innate ability
 ….
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Implications ...
It was selection of a few, not education
of the mass
 It was norm referenced; it favored
competition
 It was conforming, little room for
individual development

 …...
Implications ...
Motivation was basically extrinsic
 Preferred interpretation vis-à-vis objectivity
 Correctness vis-à-vis truth
 Decisions by authority
 Subordinate to authority
 …...
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Chinese Examinations
Cultural assumptions transmitted:
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The society is a hierarchy
Individuals should offer themselves for
selection and engage in competition
Success belong to those who conform to
expectations from society or above
Hardworking pays off, regardless of innate
ability, family conditions and environments
New Reading

Benjamin, E.A. (2000) A cultural history of
the Civil Examination in late Imperial China.
Berkeley: University of California Press.
The Examination: Learning Mode
Textbooks readily available
 Basically self-study
 Self-motivated
 Distance-learning
 Teachers a luxury
 Schools dispensable
 …...

A folk song
小么小儿郎呀郎
Little John, Little John,
背着那书包上学堂
On way to school with books in backpack;
不怕那太阳晒
There is no fear of the fierce sun,
也不怕那风雨狂
or heavy rains or wild storm;
只怕先生骂我懒哟
The only fear is teacher’s reprimand of laziness.
没有学问喏
With no achievement,
无脸见爹娘
It’s shameful to face parents.
Ancient times …
Korea 2006
Korea 2006
Credentials
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Industrial society …
Organization
Society
Knowledge
Credentials
Industrial Society
Industrial Society
Procedures
Rules & Regulations
Tight Structure
Management Layers
Strict Division of Labor
Impartiality
Scientific Management
De-personalization
Organization
Society
Knowledge
Credentials
Industrial Society
Assumption:
People are Specialized, Classified & Ranked
Manpower
Education
Young People
Manpower
Education
Young People
Industrial Institutions
Engineers
Technicians
Craftsmen
Operatives
Degrees
Diplomas
Vocational
Training
Basic
Education
Credentials …
Education in Industrial Society
People are prepared as manpower
 People are classified and ranked
 People & jobs are matched thro’ signaling
 Signaling is realized through credentials
 Schooling prepares credentials
 Hence exams, syllabuses, classes, timetables,
schools, ……
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Students are processed by schools!
戲
無
益
勤
有
功
Don’t
Play
Work
Hard
However
Society has Changed!
What if selection is less an issue?
 What if credentials have a much lesser role?
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Thank you!