A miniature model of Gongyuan, the site for imperial examinations. Exams typically last four days. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn] |
A nationally touring exhibition organized by Shanghai's Jiading Museum about the famed Chinese imperial examination will be on display at Jiaxing Museum, Zhejiang province, from Jan 13 to Feb 28.
The Chinese imperial examination system was the means by which an individual rose to a bureaucratic position in imperial China. The exam system's origins lie in the Han Dynasty period (206 BC-220), but were formally consolidated during the Sui period (AD 581-618) and were gained full effect from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) onwards. The practice was abolished in 1905.
Replicas of rooms where ancient Chinese examinees take imperial examinations are on display in Jiaxing Museum, Zhejiang province, Jan 13-Feb 28. [Photo/jiading.gov.cn] |
The exhibition uses cultural relics, charts, models, and tables to detail the complex and fascinating history of the rigors sustained by most of China's leading scholars. It also outlines the procedures and social influence of the imperial examination, thus enabling visitors to understand the broad impact of the system.
The imperial examination-themed exhibition started touring the country in 1996 and has displayed at more than 30 museums and universities around the country.
The arrival of this exhibition in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, is expected to promote cultural exchange between Jiading and Jiaxing.