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About the Civil Service examination To become eligible for Civil Service office, candidates must earn the chin-shih degree by passing three exams. Candidates take the first exam, called the forwarding exam, in their own prefecture. Those who pass must make the journey to the capital in Kaifeng to take a second test called the departmental exam. The departmental exam is given only once every three years. Those who pass then take the palace exam, and are assigned a ranking based on their performance. The examinations are extremely difficult. Of the tens of thousands who start the examination process, only 200 to 300 men actually get the chin-shih degree in a given year. The tests include demonstrating knowledge of classic texts by writing out portions of them from memory. The candidates skills in reasoning and in composition are tested by means of essay questions. Several complex political questions might be posed, and the candidate must present a solution based on his understanding of the standard texts. The candidate also must compose a poem on an assigned theme. ![]() |
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