The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-21
CHINESE EXAMINATIONS.
HALLS IN MAKING ACCOMMO-
 DATED 2O,OOO.


 Cells for Three Days--WII Never be
 Used Again-PecuIiar sOlemnities At- tending the CeremOnies-system Ad- mlrable in Many Respects-About Nanklng University.
 A visit paid to the vast examina- tion halls of Ranking will never be forgotten. These are said to be the largest in China. More than 2O,0OO candidates for the higher degree of M. A. assemble at one time from four provinces and are examined for sev- i eral successive periods of three days. These countless rows of cells will never, however be used again, and already, it is said, they are beginning to take down the walls.
 The wonderful system of Chinese education, with all its sanction of vast antiquity, is rapidly being su- perseded by Western methods. All over China schools and colleges and universities are sprnging up, institut- ed hy the Chinese themselves and modelled on the lines of those of foreign orgin with which they have been familiar during the past few | decades.
 From one of the watch towers, says a writer in the East of Asia Magazine, we had an extended view of the multitudinous rows of cells in which the candidates for examination are confined strictly for three days at a time. In each row there are usually 100 cells, and as each cell measures only some BE feet in height, 4lh feet in width and 318 feet in depth leach being merely a division in a long open shed with a sloping tiled roof), the un- happy aspirant after literary honors must, forsooth, be at night with his legs in the open air under the blue vault of heaven.
 At the opening of the examination a solemn custom prevails in NGnking, Gongs are beaten and black flag is unfurled high in the sight of all Moluei (the DeViD is solemnly invok- ed, and any candidate guilty of murder or other serious crime is called upon to depart. On each oc- casion, 1t is said, death occur, pro- bably from sheer strain and excite ment and the bodies are thrown over the wall, never carried out, as none may leave the place while the exami- nations are in progress.
 Under this great system, "the most Iadmirable institution of the Chinese Empire" notwithstanding its defects candidates for the first examination (B. A) are drawn from the districts of the provinces and examined there Those successful (about one in every 100 are allowed to pass) become elg- ible for the second or M. A. degree for which the examinations are held in the provincial capital
 From these again are drawn Gin sim liar proportions) those who after pass ling a third examination are entitled to vacancies in the official ranks of the mandarins, in accordance with the maxim of the Chinese classics: "Em- ploy the able and promote the worthy" There is however yet an other and a higher prize open to the few hundreds who still survlve--en- trance to the famous Hanlin College the examination for which is presided over by the Emperor in person. This stupendous system of examinations [open to the whole empire, culmlnateS finally in contest which results ir the production once in three years, of the Chuang Yuan, the bright particu- lar star of learning of his day within the imperial realm.
 A little crowd had gathered around us while we waited for the key of the watch tower, and we were mucf amused by a small Chinese boy 1T foreign dress, who strutted about witt his hands in his pockets, inviting at tention by every gesture to his cap, oi which he was inordinately proud, | was a miniature of those worn by tho Nanking police, with "Osaka, Japan, in gold letters across the front w saw rows upon rows of these in 2 number of shops. At last the man re- turned-with a hatchet, with which notwithstanding our amused remon strances, he calmly chopped off the paddock of the gate!
 The Ranking University fig a splen did pile of building one of those American institutions which have dont so much to open the eyes of tho Chinese to the deficiencies of theii own classical system of education Here, it was said that a general re. lquest preferred, by the students to bt lallowed to cut off their queues hat been refused as premature. We travel led up river on one occasion on shiI on board which were a number O. Chinese students returning from Jap an. All these young men hat cut off their queues and were In for eign uniform.
 At Wuhu there is a Chinese restau rant where foreign meals may be ob tained and all sorts of foreign cakei and pastries at two cents each IT Ranking too, where there is practical lily no foreign element, there is an inr where the young Chinese go for for. eign meals.
 The streets are full of students 1T semi-foreign dress. There were nun. erous parade grounds where large bodies of men were drilling.
 They marched with much spirit 1T the German fashion, but here, al elsewhere the foreign instructors ha( been replaced with Japanese. The di scipline seemed perfect and one coult