The sun., 1894-03-11

es-s of Thsir Bev'cs- a. E,esps IRE Eye 81
th@ Era-tner.

the ENa-iner.
The imperial Chinese organ. the Pftfno Ga
sefte, has been filled recently with memorials
about frauds In the examinations Tor degrees
Success in Theses eSaminhtions entities the
fortunate man to place among the Applicants
for of11cial places The degree Of ChHien, or
Master OF Arts. IL the one commonly granted
aud for this examinations are held regularly
in all the provincial capitsls-
tits understood that no communication IA
to he held between the candidate and any
other persons until the examination papers
are handed in. Grea. precautions are also
taken to guard against tho correction OF pa
pers by any examiners. Yet, despite all these
checks to fraud. recent Investigation has
shown that servants OF candidates and exam
iners have consplred to defeat tho fairness Of
the test and to secure degrees for pupils who
were deficient.
Recently six persons we're accused by Cen
sor Lein Chih OF being favored. The complaint
was made to the Grand Secretary. who has
charge Of the examinations and the granting
OF degrees. The six pupils were compelled to
pass a second examination In separate rooms
and under she eyes ~ watchmen. Three ac-
Quilted themselves well. and showed that sus-
picion In their case was unfounded The other
three loundered hopelessly. returning papers
which were ridiculous in thought and dictlon.
The matter was OeeneO OF 8ulHClbut HIHNlNN
TO be referred to the Emperor. TWAS supposed
that he would order the decapitation OF those
who hal been guilty OF completely in the
frauds. hut, instead he simply dropped tie
three offending candidates and made no fur
thor Investigation.
This clemency is In great contrast to the ac-
tlon OF the Chinese Emperor in 1858 whom no
less a parsonage than the Grand Secretary
himself was involved ina fraud. This man was
Pal Huan. who had once been a tutor Of the
Emperor. He had been made chief examiner.
one OF the great diRnitaries OF tho empire. but
he fell through his love for concubine. This
woman had n iavorits nephew. Ping Ling. who
was candidate for the bachelors degree. She
obtained a promise from Pal Huan that he
would see that the young fellow got
his degree. but In the press OF official
dutlos he forgot oil about his promise
until It was recalled to him at the eleventh
hour By. u note from his mistress. Search
VMs ssSeTal ' hSndrsd Rejected ae sssays. hut Pal
Huan went through them and found them
lad among the 2oO ordinary gradnstes. he
placed his name seventh on the list. As II is
to SS Ss nas"s
part in amateur theatrloais. His acting was
commended In the presence OF q censor. who
an honorary graduate. stapdins .eyenth on
the Emperor, declaring that scholarship
was Icing dTasg.d II the gutter; and
@ tRs hue asf ana srg and the s WSs
that Ping Ling was found TO he travelling un-
dsr tasS . pbeteSSs ret OF scholarship fS Not only
certain pupils were condemned to death. The
Emperor signed the death sentences OF the
his old tutor to the ilock. Finally he was per-
sonsi encmy Of the chief examiner But SIi shu
didn't long enjoy his revenge. for three years
ns tho
drank Pal huan's life blood
Several amT'nS stories ,b Are told Of the In
outwit tho examiners. The favorits method Is
seen at tho examinations In the smnl Her cities
The young fellow OF good family who comes
IN for exam Ination always has a body servant.
other refreshments. The candidates are
usually seated in large halls. with tw" moni-
enter. aud these fellows are 80 shTcwd that
they take the subjects Of difficult theses aud
tea. This has Seeoms so I great an evil that a
decree Is found In the Ga,e.s urging provin-
of candidates are excluded from the sxamins. nI
Of those provincial magistrates which shows
the cunning Of the Chinese household servant
This magistrate was convinced that one OF the
outside help. so he - sum@onea % the % Young @ Ha fei
low and gave him u stif subject for an essay,
warning him that he could hold com munica-
tion with no one. To make sure OF his victim
he Kept guard himself in the adioin ing room.
The young man concluded that he was lost.
He couldn't write the essay and time rapidly
passed. When the noon hour came great was
his astouishment to see the magistrate bring
In tea and refreshments with his own hands
as the old fellow suspected even his own SER
wants. As the magistrate turned to leave tho
room the despairing student saw a paper fut-
tering on his back. lie deftly pulled II OF
without attracting attention. and found It was
a WELL written essay on the su blect given him
His own servants had brined the magistrate.
mon TO get the subject for them. aud then had
given them second heavy fee To paste the
essay othelr masters long. loose robe.
In spite OF tho spread Of Western learning
In China and tho interest taken in mRthemat-
les and foreign languages. the Chinese states
men still regard literary culture as the first
essential Tor public ONCE. Not long ago the
great Nicoroy II Hung Chang issued an elab-
crate State pa per one-third OF which was de-
voted to choice extracts from Confucius and
the other Chinese classics. 1t was praised as
An ideal document. but to the foreign reader
IL had the air OF an undergraduate essay
rather than OF the mature statesman. or all
Chineee high officials the Marquis Tseng was
the only one who wrote like q European His
paper on the Awakening of China" showed
very few traces Of the pedsntie scholarship OF
the Chinese Official