Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 4 is both the Heavenly Strategy and the Only One!

As soon as Xia Zhibai finished speaking, the surroundings suddenly became quiet.

Ding Xian, who had mocked Xia Zhibai earlier, now looked even paler, and his eyes were filled with fear and panic as he looked at Xia Zhibai.

As juren, they were of course aware of the changes in this imperial examination.

Since the inception of the imperial examination, the content of the examinations has been different in different dynasties.

In the Tang Dynasty, the main examinations were in various subjects, including Xiucai, Mingjing, Junshi, Jinshi, Mingfa (law), Mingzi, and Mingsuan (mathematics).

The examination contents include current affairs policies, scriptures, miscellaneous essays, etc.

The imperial examinations in the Song Dynasty had the subjects of Jinshi and Mingjing, and the examination contents included calligraphy, calligraphy interpretation and poetry.

However, after Wang Anshi became the vice-chancellor, the Song Dynasty abolished poetry, prose, calligraphy and essays, and only selected scholars based on the interpretation of classics, essays and policies.

During the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial examination was suspended for a long time. Although it was reopened later, there were great restrictions on the Han people and southerners.

There was even a popular saying at that time: "Only a Mongolian could become the top scholar, we should respect our countrymen." The countrymen here referred to the Mongolians and Semites.

The Yuan Dynasty claimed that it was holding the imperial examinations, but in fact it was using them to consolidate the privileged status of the Mongols and Semites.

Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang reopened the imperial examination system, and the examination procedure followed that of the Yuan Dynasty.

The 'Five Classics' and then the 'Four Books', and the 'ancient annotations' habits of the Tang and Song dynasties were retained. At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang still attached great importance to the traditional 'classics' and 'history of classics'.

However, after the first imperial examination was launched, Zhu Yuanzhang was not satisfied with the situation of selecting scholars at that time, and he directly announced the abolition of the imperial examination.

When the imperial examination was reopened in the 15th year of Hongwu, great restrictions were placed on its content. Not only did it become a direct test of eight-legged essays, but the academic vision of the examination was also limited to the Neo-Confucian viewpoints that emerged in the Song Dynasty.

This change, to some extent, reduced the difficulty of the imperial examination, and therefore southern candidates believed that Zhu Yuanzhang was deliberately suppressing southern students in order to admit more northern students.

This has also invisibly exacerbated the gap and conflict between students in the north and south.

If your majesty's reforms fail...

Ding Xian repeated these words in his mind, cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he was so frightened by these words that he could not speak.

Hua Lun glanced at Xia Zhibai indifferently, then looked at Ding Xian, his eyes full of contempt and disdain. How could a dignified scholar be frightened by such bluffing words?

It's really a disgrace to the southern scholars.

Hua Lun looked at Xia Zhibai, his eyes looking more serious, but his expression was still cold, and said: "The court has its own considerations for making changes to the content of the imperial examination. As candidates, all we can do is to take the exam."

"As for whether the reform you mentioned failed or not, what does it have to do with candidates like me? Even if the reform really failed, it is the fault of the court."

"What does it have to do with me?"

"We all took the exam honestly, without any fraud or favoritism, and the rankings were determined by the court. How could there be any mistakes?"

"If there is no northerner in the top three, it only means one thing, that is, the northerners are indeed hopeless. Even if the court makes more changes, it still cannot change the rotten status quo."

"It also thoroughly proves that the North is really no good."

"It's futile to change it."

Hua Lun spoke slowly, but his tone was intensely aggressive.

Xia Zhibai nodded, then shook his head.

The weakness of the northern cultural context is not an overnight thing. Ever since the Yuan Dynasty unified the country, there has been a situation where "the north and the south are cut off and the historical records are not connected."

Going back further, since the An-Shi Rebellion, China's culture and economy have begun to lean towards the south, and the long-term wars in the north have also seriously affected the spread and development of academic knowledge in the north.

This is also inevitable.

When people are worried about their livelihoods, how can they have the energy to study? If it weren't for the Southern Confucian scholars such as Jiang Han and Zhao Fu who were interested in spreading Neo-Confucianism to the north, the culture in the north would have been even more decadent.

After Zhu Yuanzhang unified the country, he clearly realized this.

Therefore, he issued the "Four Books and Five Classics" to the north many times, ordered the Ministry of Personnel to transfer academic officials from the south to the north many times, and also specially issued the "Great Edict" that was consistent between the north and the south.

Only with little effect.

Zhu Yuanzhang realized that the culture of the South was too strong, and that the North had been through long-term wars and its cultural heritage was declining, so he deliberately suspended the imperial examination system for ten years to allow the North to recover.

But Xia Zhibai knew that this so-called recovery was too one-sided, and the economic base determined the superstructure.

After a long period of war and destruction, the North's production level was far lower than that of the South. Under such circumstances, even if the court gave more support, it would be almost impossible to catch up with the South in education and culture.

Again.

The early Ming Dynasty was actually a southern regime.

Whether in politics or economy, they are all based in the South. In particular, most bureaucrats come from the south of the Yangtze River. These officials will undoubtedly pay more attention to the local interests of the South.

After Zhu Yuanzhang unified the country, he had already begun to intentionally suppress the southerners, but this was ultimately only a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution. If he wanted to truly achieve a balance between the north and the south, he would ultimately have to rely on developing the northern economy.

Xia Zhibai took a deep breath and said solemnly: "We are now juren, and almost all of us will become officials of the Ming Dynasty. As officials, we should take the world as our responsibility."

"If the imperial examinations only include southerners south of the Yangtze River, but no northerners north of the Yangtze River, wouldn't that mean that the Ming Dynasty would only have half of the country."

"When Your Majesty started the rebellion, the slogan he shouted was to drive out the Tartar humiliation, restore China, establish rules and regulations, and save the people."

"Restoring China, does that mean only the area south of the Yangtze River is restored, but not the area north of the Yangtze River?"

"The area north of the Yangtze River has been through war for a long time, and it is true that it is not as good as the south in all aspects, but shouldn't the officials of the Ming Dynasty work hard to restore production and life in the north?"

"The reason why His Majesty is committed to reforming the imperial examination system is that you southern students have no thoughts about the world, but only your own selfish desires."

“They even take pleasure in disparaging the North.”

"You all claim to be well-read, but you don't even understand this principle. You have really read these books of sages in vain."

"Your words have made me more confident in becoming the top scorer, because I now have a reason to become the top scorer."

Xia Zhibai's tone was calm and even, as if he was talking about something that had already been determined.

Hua Lun snorted coldly, and did not refute it. He could not refute it anymore. He just said coldly: "Since you are so confident, let's see who will be the champion in ten days."

"I hope your mouth will be as hard as it is today."

Xia Zhibai shook his head, revealing two rows of white teeth, and said with a smile: "You are wrong again, I am not the champion, but the champion."

"Also, if I become the top scholar, I will be different from the top scholars in previous dynasties."

"My number one scholar will be Tiance."

"It is also the only one in ancient and modern times!"

"Heaven..." Hua Lun was just about to say what he was thinking about. How could the top scholar have the title of Tiance?

Then he thought of another title related to Tian Ce. His face changed drastically and he looked at Xia Zhibai with horror.

I cursed in my heart.

Can the word "Tian Ce" be chosen casually?
Throughout history, only Emperor Taizong of Tang was awarded the title of General Tiance, and this was because his military achievements were so high at that time that there was no other title left, so he was awarded this honor.

How dare you, Xia Zhibai, have such ambition?
This is courting death!

(End of this chapter)