In the long history of the 1300 imperial examination, there were more than 800 top scholars, more than 100000 Jinshi and more than one million examiners. While changing their own destiny, they have the ambition of "self-cultivation, family harmony, governance and peace of the world", and play an important role in promoting China's history, politics and culture. The history of imperial examination is not only the struggle history and inspirational history of countless ancient scholars pursuing the dream of home and country, but also the recorder and disseminator of the inheritance of Chinese civilization. The Grand Canal, as the most important and convenient means of transportation during the imperial examination period,

The imperial examination civilization is inextricably linked, and the canal civilization plays a vital role in the imperial examination.
From the perspective of ancient scholars, this exhibition displays a total of 70 pieces (sets) of exhibits, leading the audience to experience the complete life course of ancient literati studying hard in cold windows, gold list titles and bridal chamber flowers and candles, and showing the bright civilization born under the interaction of imperial examination and canal.

The imperial examination was an official selection system in ancient times to select excellent talents through subject examination. It was founded in the Sui Dynasty and ended in the late Qing Dynasty. It trained a large number of excellent talents for the development of Chinese society.

The examination rooms of the ancient imperial examination were generally located in the county, provincial capital and capital. Most scholars had to leave their relatives and hometown with a dream and go to the examination place, trekking through mountains and rivers all the way. Scholars in the Ming and Qing Dynasties need to take the examination level by level along the procedures of children's examination, township examination, joint examination and palace examination, ranging from a few years to several years. It is the so-called "no one asks in the cold window of ten years, and become famous all over the world".

After the establishment of the imperial examination system, the imperial examination has become the main way for the family to obtain social status. The family will attach great importance to the study and examination of future generations, and hope that their children will one day be able to become famous, become officials, shine on the family and benefit the people.

two

The title of the golden list

A day's view of Chang'an flowers is full of complacency and horseshoe disease.

——Meng Jiao's after graduation

It is not only the lifelong ideal of ancient scholars, but also the great glory of individuals and families, but also a social collective fashion. Ancient kings sought Junyan in the imperial examination field as a means of governance.

The imperial examination is a grand ceremony for the transmission of Lu after the imperial examination. The emperor announced the ranking of the new Jinshi, and then put up a gold list. The champion led the new Jinshi to watch the list. The imperial court will also give a feast of grace and honor in the Ministry of rites. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, a memorial tablet for scholars was set up in the Imperial College, on which the names, native places and ranking of scholars were engraved. These are what glory and brilliance for scholars participating in the scientific examination. After Bai Juyi, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, became a Jinshi at the age of 27, he wrote a generous poem "at the inscription under the mercy tower, the youngest of the 17 people" at the Qujiang banquet.

three

Golden Wedding Candle

Gold wind and jade dew meet, but they win countless people in the world.

——Magpie Bridge fairy by Qin Guan

"The wedding night, the time of the golden list" are two great joys in the life of ancient scholars. The wedding joy is called "little entrance examination", and the scientific examination joy is called "big entrance examination". Because the imperial examination has also achieved many stories of talents and beauties in Chinese history. For example, Wang Shifu's story of the West Chamber tells that after Zhang Sheng was the top student in senior high school, he went through twists and turns with Miss Xiang Guo Cui Yingying, Finally, there is a story that lovers become family members.

Exhibition hall style

The exhibition is open to citizens free of charge. Citizens and friends are welcome to visit.。

Visit time: 8:30-12:00 am
2:00-5:00 pm

Exhibition time: November 21 - December 22

Venue: first floor of Hai'an Museum (New Museum)