Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1870-02-25
THE POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS.
or CHINA
LEIron the AtIantIe MonthIy.l


The real power of the government IS
in the literary class. The government,
though nominally a monarchy, is really
an aristocracy. But it is not an aristoc-
racy of birth, like that of England, for
the humblest mans son can obtain a
place II it; neither IS it an aristocracy Of
wealth, like ours in the United States,
nor military aristocracy, like that of
Russia, nor an aristocracy of priests,
like that of ancient Egypt, and Of some
modern countries, s,-as, for instance, that
of Paraguay under the Jesuits, or that of
the Sandwich Islands under the Protest
ant missionaries but it IS q literary aris-
The civil officers II China are called
mandarins. They dFcehosen from the
three degrees of learned men, who may
be called the bachelors, licentiates, and
doctors. All persons may be candi-
dates for the first degree, except three
excluded classes,-boatmen BARRIERS,
and actors. The candidates are exam
ined by the governors of their own towns.
OF those approved, a few are selected
after another examination These again
are examined by an officer who makes a
circuit once in three years for that pur-
pose. They are placed alone in little
rooms or closets, with pencils, ink and
paper, and a subject IS given them to
write upon. Out Of some four hundred
candidates fifteen may be selected, who
receive the lowest degree. There is an
other triennial examination for the sec
.ond degree, at which a small number of
the bachelors are promoted. The exam
alton for the highest degree, that of doc
tor, is held at Pelzin only, when some
three hundred, are taken out of FIVE
thousand. These are capable of receiv-
ing the highest offices. Whenever a va
cancy= occurs, one of those who have re
ceived a degree IS taken by lot from the
few senior names. But few years since.
there were five thousand of the highest
rank. and twenty-seven thousand of the
second rank, who had not received en-
ployment.
The subjects upon which the candi-
dates are examined, and the methods of
these examinations, are thus described
in the Shangha fI852).
The examinations for the degree of
Keuiin Tor licentiate} takes place at the
principal city of each province once in.
three years. The average number of
bachelors fnthe@ large province of Keang-
Nan (which contains seventy. millions Of
inhabitants) is twenty thousand. out of
whom only about two hundred succeed /
Sixty-fve mandarins are deputed for this
examination, beside subordinate officials.
The two chief examiners are sent from
Pellin. When the candidates enter the
examination hall they are searched for
books or manuscripts, which might as
sist them in writing their essays. This
precaution Is not superhuous, for many
plans have been invented to enable
mediocre people to pass. Sometimes a
thin book, printed on very small type
from copperplates. is slipped into hole
in the sole of the shoe. But persons de-
tected in such practices are ruined for
life. In a list of one hundred and forty
four successful candidates, in 1881, tlair-
teen were over forty years of. age, and
one under fourteen years seven were
under twenty; and all, to succeed, must
have known by heart the whole Of the
Sacred Books, besides being well read
in history.
= Three sets of themes are given, each
occupying two days. and might. and un-
til that time IS expired no one is allowed
to leave his apartment, which. is scarcely
large enough t.. sleep in. The ESSAYS
must not contain more than seven hun
II ~ 1AAelA ana no EIdSuIG or COR
recton IS allowed. On the first days.
the themes are taken from the -Four
Books, on the next from the older class
ics on the last miscellaneous questions
are given. The@themes~ are such as
these: "Choo-tsze, in commenting on
the Shocking, made use of four authors
who sometimes say too much, at other
times too little: sometimes their explain
ations are forced, at other times too
ornamental. What have you to observe
on them p "Chin-show had great abiI-
tiles for historic writing. In his Three
Kingdoms he has deprecated Choo-ko-
leang, and made very light of F. and e
two other celebrated. Characters. What
is it that he says OF them?'
These publie-service examinations are
conducted With tlae greatest inpartialitv.
They were established about a thousand
years ago, and have been gradually i'm
proved during the eintergeningtime They
form the basis Of the whole system Of
Chinese government. They make a good
education universally desirables as the
poorest man may seeahis son thus adj
vanced to the highest position. An of
the hundreds Of thousands who prepare
to compete are obi iged to know the whole
system Of Gonfucilis, to commit to mem
ory all his unorai doctrines, and to be-
come familiar the traditional
wisdom Of The land. Thus a public
| opinion IN favor &c existing institutions
| and the fundamental IDEAS of Chinese