Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-27
a Chinese Examination.

\ OA1ACSC sz4A1-A-lAHdt1Cls
Every one who aspires to literary
career, or to any civil appointment, be-
gins by taking the degree of Siu-tsai,
which roughly corresponds with our de-
gree of B. A. The examinations for this
purpose are conducted annually in each
prefecturai capital by the Hsio-tai Lit
erary Chancellor of the whole province.A
There is no fixed standard, but a certain
number of degrees must be conferred
in each prefecture. Thus the degree
does not present any fixed standard, but
stands for greater or less amount of
knowledge, according to the number
OF candidates. The graduates as
semble every three years in Tai
Yuen Flu to undergo a further and
much harder examination for the
higher degree of Ku-jen (Nd. Al, con-
Quoted by a senior and a junior exam
liner. specially deputed from Pekin for
the purpose. Last year the number of
candidates was five Thousand seven
hundred and as the number of NJ A
graduates is only seventy-two, the COM
petition was indeed severe. In some of
the Southern Provinces, where litera-
ture is more cultivated, there are as many
as ten thousand, or even twenty thousand
these great examinations dwarf every
thing of the kind in Europe into COM
parative insignifcance. Early the fol-
lowing year, the neWly-made NJ. A. s
| (Ku-jen). together with their predeces-
sOrs of previous years, repair to Pekin
from all the eighteen Provinces for a
further examination, similar in every re-
spect to that of the Ku-ien, only more
difficult Out of MANY thousand candi-
dates, only three hundred and twenty
are admitted to the higher degree of
KIu-shi, and these are re-eXamined in
the imperial palace for the highest de-
| gree of Han-lin forest of pencils). All
! the civil officials of the Empire are Sc
| lected from the ranks of the Kiu-shi.
| Bribery is sometimes effectual in Seeur-
| ing degree, but it means large sum,
and the present must be made in a very
roundabout way from the candidate 8
relatives to those of the examiner, long
| before he reaches the scene of his labor.
| The punishment for the examiner, if
convicted, is to be sawn asunder. The
examination buildings, which have been
in course of repair during the whole
summer, occupy an immense quadrangle
| lar area, about quarter of mile
! square, surrounded by lofty wall. The
| whole area is divided into east and west
halves by broad road; right and left
are a series of between twenty and thir-
! ty long ranges of stalls, rooted (much
like an enormously long stable with one
| hundred and five stalls), very small, side
| by side, with an open passage, unroofed,
/ running along at the back. Each stall
! is for one candidate; he is supplied with
two small benches. one for seat, the
other for table, sliding in grooves. He
! provides his own bedding, curtains, cook
| ing utensils, food, etc.. the Government
rations being largely consumed by the
underlings, one servant being allotted to
each ten candidates. Each range OF
stalls has petty official walking up and
| down, to preserve order and prevent
| cheating, and also to attend to the wants
! of the candidates. At the center of the
great dividing road is a tower overlook
| ing the whole area, and several smaller
| towers are placed at, the corners, so as
| overlook the candidates. The rest OF
the area is occupied by extensive courts,
surrounded by large and well-furnished
| buildings for the residence of the va
rious officials, of whom several hundred
are employed. At the back of all are
the apartments occupied by the two i'm
| perial examiners from Pekin. On one
| side is a great number of buildings for
servants, and at the other is another
large range of stalls for the copyists.
The examination consists of three parts;
each part lasts three days and nights
| Cor. Boston Transcript.