Examination System

The **Examination System** (試制 *Shisei*) is the process used to select officials for Saiunkoku's Government.

## Imperial Exams

The **Imperial Exams** (国試 *Kokushi*) are a set of exams designed for the purpose of appointing new Civil Officials in the Imperial Capital. Tight quotas restricted the number of successful candidates at each level. People often have to take the examinations several times before they are able to pass every single exam due to the level of difficulty. If a person passes, they can become a Civil Official regardless of their social status and family heritage. The three people that score the highest in these exams are given special titles. It was designed and began in the era of the late Emperor, Shi Senka. These exams must be passed in order to work in the Imperial Palace's Outer Court and as Governors of the Provinces. The first place holder is **Jougen** (状元 *Jōgen*), the second place holder is **Bougan** (榜眼 *Bōgan*) and the third place holder is **Tanka** (探花 *Tanke*).

### Provincial Exam

The **Provincial Exam** (州試 *Shūshi*) is one of the final exams of the Imperial Exams. This exam must be passed before taking the Conference Exam and the Court Exam. It is conducted in each Province and a person must do it in the Province they were born. Examinees that pass this exam, and have the right to take the Conference Exam are known as **Candidates** (挙人 *Kyojin*).

### Conference Exam

The **Conference Exam** (会試 *Kaishi*) is one of the final exams of the Imperial Exams. This exam must be passed before taking the Court Exam. It is the most difficult and substantial exam so it is said that if a person passes, they have been guaranteed to pass the Court Exam.

### Court Exam

The **Court Exam** (会試 *Kaishi*) is the final exam of the Imperial Exams. It is an oral exam and is presided over by the Emperor himself. It is rare for one to fail this exam and is usually considered a formality (since the Conference Exam is the most difficult one). However, there has been an exception to this and this was the year of the Nightmare Exam Group. Those that became enchanted by Kou Houju's overwhelming beauty were either unable to properly answer the Emperor's questions or collapsed in the middle of the exam.

## Imperial Military Exam

The **Imperial Military Exam** (国武試 *Kokushi*) is designed for the purpose of appointing new Military Officers in the Imperial Capital. It has a similar structre to the Imperial Exams and they had to sit some of the written exams as well. However, some aspects were more tailored towards those that wanted to enter the Elite Army.

## Associate Exam

The **Associate Exam** (準試 *Junshi*) is designed for the purpose of appointing new Government Officials in the Provinces. This exam must be passed in order to work in the Government Offices of the Provinces. Anyone who passes this exam is eligible to be Lieutenant Governors but cannot be Governors. Not to be confused with Provincial Exams.

## Ministry of Civil Administration Exams

The **Ministry of Civil Administration Evaluations** (吏部試 *Ribushi*) are exams carried out by the Ministry of Civil Administration. They are conducted for people that didn't pass the Imperial Exams in the top percentile. They primarily evaluate are a person’s physical appearance, quality of handwriting, etiquette and understanding of administrative issues. If a candidate does not pass these exams even if they had passed Imperial Exams, and have yet to receive their official assignment, they must remain as a Joukan. These exams are not conducted often in Saiunkoku but when they are, it is because the that year was a special or unusual case. They were conducted in the years when the Nightmare Exam Group, Li Kouyuu and Ran Shuuei, and Kou Shuurei took the exams.

## Imperial Decree Exam

The **Imperial Decree Exam** (制試 *Seishi*) is an exam carried out at irregular intervals by the decision of the Emperor and Department of State Affairs. This exam existed for the purpose of identifying potentially extraordinary officials and promoting talented officials for certain, specific, especially difficult assignments. Unlike the Imperial Exams (which has multiple stages and not everyone that passes necessarily becomes a Central Government Official), a person will automatically become a Central Government Official as soon as they pass this exam. However, letters of recommendation from a high-ranking official and a high noble are needed. Officials that entered through this channel have sometimes been treated poorly by officials who believed that the system was unfair, despite being aware that the reason they obtained their positions so quickly (and after only one exam) was because the Imperial Decree Exam was much more difficult than the Imperial Exams. It has been said that their poor treatment pushed many of them into thinking about early retirement.

## Trivia

* The Examination System is based on the system used in China during its Imperial Period. Although, these exams existed as early as the Han dynasty, it only became a major feature during the Tang dynasty and was adopted by other Chinese dynasties following this.