The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-03-13
A REMARKABLE SYSTEM.
The Chinese Civil Service That has Out
Lived the Changes of Two Thousand


EnyCac Larrcnce in Harpc,s Weekly.
The Chinese civil service is the
most remarkable invention of Won
derful people. 1t covers the whole
immense empire. 1t supplies the place
of a national educational law, and stim-
ulatcs every active intellect to laborious
study. Every Chinese father hopes
that his son may prove a successful
student, may pass two at least of the
public examinations, and become at
last pubhcal official. For this he
prays, sacrifices, consults the sooth
slyers, the geomancers, and the fates.
The birth of son is hailed ir China
with loud rejoicings for the son, in
the civil service system, may become
one OF the ruling aristocracy, and bring
to his family distinction and wealth.
The education of the young Chinese
is therefore carefully provided for. IN
til seven or eight years old he plays in
the streets unchecked. His father,
'the venerable severe one watches
over HIM tenderly. He is sent to
school, learns his letters, and then be-
gins TO commit by ear the moral les
sons CT Mencious and Confucius. He
learns from the -Four Books that
man is born good, but that the world
is evil. He begins to write and handle
carefully his camel's- hair brush and
ink. From nine in the morning until
six in the evening the school-boys hum
their lessons, and the din of a Chinese
sChool-room is said to be intolerable
The student next praCtises compost
ton, and prepares himself for that rapid
writing so priced by the Eastern races.
lie now presents himself for the first
of the three state examinations. His
name, description, and appearance are
entered in register. The examinations
are held twice IN every year before an
officer of high rank in the perfectoral
cities. The candidates fill the city
they assemble at dawn in the public
hall. Each student is searched lest he
may have some concealed volume with
him. Themes are gwen out for two
prize essays and a poem. The papers
are handed in, the candidates disperse.
The list Of the successful is published a
few days after. With unbounded Joy
the Chinese youth finds himself endow-
ed with his first literary degree. He is
now a government official, wears an
official dress, and gilt button. He
may obtain clerkship by influence Oh
purchase, or he may prepare himself
| for the second examination, the open
ing to still higher promotion in the
state.
For this he prepares himself by in
tense labor He studies chiefly the
Give Canon" -bOokS of the earlier
centuries. But he reads all the history
and literature of the past. China
abounds in these earnest students, who
III poverty and ceaseless labor pass
their lives, cheered only by the hope OF
grasping the glitterins prizes held out
by the civil service system. They are
the office-seekers Of China but they
make their way by delving amidst the
richest stores of the national literature
and filling their minds with its history,
philosophy, and poetry.
At length the examination day draws
near. 1t comes every three years. An
official, the Grand Examiner, is sent
from Picking to hold it in the provincial
capital. The examiner is sealed up in
his house, lest the friends of the stu
dents may influence him improperly I;