A Historical Investigation and Classification Analysis of Seven Controversies on the Reform and Abolition of the 1300-year Chinese Imperial Examination System

Abstract

The Chinese imperial examination system has witnessed seven controversies on its reform and abolition throughout its 1300-year-old history. With a historical investigation and classification analysis, result showed that the seven controversies mainly focused on three pairs of contradictions. They are controversies on the content and format of imperial examinations, controversies on choosing talents through imperial examination or recommendation, and controversies on selecting talents through imperial examination or schooling system. The main implications include that the content of national examination should be beneficial to talent selection, the format of national examination should be conductive to efficient talent selection, and the national examination should uphold social equity and fairness and especially should be conducive to social class mobility.