The Special Examination During The Reign Of Emperor Kangxi And The Social Transformation In The Early Years Of The Qing Dynasty

This thesis examines the background, the origin, the aim and the function of the special examination in the Year of the 6th of the ten Heavenly Stems and the 8th of the twelve Earthly Branches. It also analyzes how the Chinese Han scholars react to this event, the spirit track of the Chinese Han scholars from Ming to Qing dynasty, and the association between the compiling of the History of the Ming Dynasty and the Chinese Han scholars' identity convertion. It aims to explore the social transformation in the early years of the Qing dynasty. It is mainly based on the analysis of the bibliographies in Qing dynasty, from the perspective of Emperor Kangxi and the Chinese Han scholars.It includes two parts:the body part of four chapters and the appendix of the chronological table of the significant erudition and literature candidates'main activities from 1644 to 1689.The first chapter introduces the living circumstances of the Han Chinese scholars in early Qing dynasty. The living circumstances of both the recruited Han Chinese scholar-bureaucrats and the common scholars in the espacial examination are extremely poor. Emperor Shunzhi's appreciation of Han Chinese scholars and distrust of the Chinese Han scholar-bureaucrats, the conflicts between Manchu and Han Chinese peoples, the strife between South Interests and North Interests make the situation worse. Many Chinese Han scholars even including the examiners suffer a lot, being killed or exiled, such as Chen Mingxia, Chen Zhilin. This serious situation influences the country's long-term stability and development.Chapter Two focuses on how young Emperor Kangxi, after taking personal control of the empire, tries to govern the country. Kangxi Emperor gradually accepts Confucian values and develops his ideas of ruling country, for instance, the Confucian way of moral education, government ethics. He improves his communication with Chinese Han scholars by treating them with great honor, granting rewards, studying Chinese calligraphy etc. As one of the measures to govern the country, he nominates the special exam to be taken in the Year of the 6th of the ten Heavenly Stems and the 8th of the twelve Earthly Branches to choose the erudition and literature widely, encourage Confucian learning and compile the History of Ming Dynasty.Chapter Three analyzes the whole history of the special imperial examination in the Year of the 6th of the ten Heavenly Stems and the 8th of the twelve Earthly Branches, the official recruiting system, and how the History of Ming Dynasty is compiled. Between late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasty, some scholars are being recruited or busy preparing for the exams. The rest out of loyalty to the Ming, refuse to take the exams, devote to studying the Confucian classics, sticking to their principles and caring public feelings. Contrary to Shunzhi government, Kangxi government treats all the examinees with great honor and let the rest drift. Emperor Kangxi sponsored the scholars compiling the History of Ming Dynasty, taking personal-compiled history into official system. At least the Kangxi government and the public seem to reach a compromise on surface, though there are still divergences over the understanding of sacrifice and loyalty etc.Chapter Four explores the different states of mind of the scholars reacting to this special imperial examination. The attitudes of 186 scholars toward the exam can be categorized into 7 types. They are ecstatic; rejecting; indecisive; indifferent; disappointed; first rejecting then compromising; first compromising then resigning. Among them the rejecting group of scholars becomes the focus. They are the Ming Dynasty's descendants or the scholar-civilians. Their states of mind states change before the exam. The social intercourse among the Ming Dynasty's descendants, the scholar-civilians, the betrayers, the rising officials becomes frequent, with their Confucian classics research and spreading. The poor scholar-civilians' living is always helped by the scholar-bureaucrats. Their attitudes toward the exam are quite different before and after the exam with their recognition of identity, such as Zhu Yizun and Gu Yanwu.Based on the analysis of the above four chapters, a conclusion can safely be drawn that the special imperial examination in the Year of the 6th of the ten Heavenly Stems and the 8th of the twelve Earthly Branches aims to resolve conflicts between the Manchu and the Chinese Han by constructing cultural and academic identity from writing articles. Before and after the exam Emperor Kangxi expresses his interest in Chinese calligraphy, poems and Confucian classics which thought to be the Han Chinese scholars'life. That's why he chooses the way to govern the Empire. This special imperial examination is significant to the development of Confucian classics, literature and art in Qing dynasty. It is effective in the new government's compromise with the Chinese Han intelligentsia on their values.The appendix is the chronological table of the 11 important Chinese Han scholars' activities from 1644 to 1689. They are Huang Zongxi, Gu Yanwu, You Dong, Shi Runzhang, Wang Wan, Chen Weisong, Zhu Yizun, Peng Sunyu, Xu Qiu, Long Xie. Their major political activities, social intercourse and literary creation are explored systematically. From the chronological table, the thesis of the special imperial examination in the Year of the 6th of the ten Heavenly Stems and the 8th of the twelve Earthly Branches and the literature world during the reign of Emperor kangxi can be discussed in detail.