Chinese Education Tradition- The Imperial Examination System In Feudal China

Abstract

The nowadays focus in China - the national entrance examination is said to be the survival of the Imperial Examination System. The Imperial Examination System which lasted 1300 years is the longest educational system in Chinese history. As Sanderson put forth: It is widely recognized that many of the problems of present-day society are deeply rooted in the past … (Sanderson 1978:3). A reflection on Chinese educational tradition which is the soul of Chinese culture would give us a deeper understanding and more enlightenment of present day Chinese educational system and provide more sound practice in the forthcoming educational transformation. The research demonstrates that the social structural conditioning is the precondition of the development of the Imperial Examination System, while the Imperial Examination System reflected the structural conditioning of its time.