| In the Ming Dynasty,Grace-tribute students was one kind of the students in the Imperial College.When there was a ceremony in the imperial court,or the new Emperor took great advantage,the provincial educational officials applied for quotas and sent local school students to the Ministry of Rites,after being tested by Hanlin Academy,the students who passed the exam can be enrolled in the Imperial College to get an education then to be officers,which is called Grace-tribute student.The Grace-tribute system of the Ming Dynasty evolved from the Gongshi institution,the system of selecting scholars for higher education which were began in the Western Zhou Dynasty and the strategy of hiring great people by obligating from the Han and Wei periods.The Grace-tribute system began in Jiajing eighteen-year(1539),for celebrating the celebration of adding the honorific title to ancestors.In addition,it conformed to the reforms of the “three ways to join the official career advance side by side”,in order to abolish the drawbacks of the old students who were raised due to the loss of their old age,and to improve the rules and regulations of the Imperial College,and the condition of the empty of Imperial College by homecoming frequency.According to the research,there are ten Grace-tributes in the Ming Dynasty,of which five for reginning,two for adding the honorific title to ancestors,two for the birth of princes,and another was the case of setting the corwn prince in Chongzhen three-year(1630).Grace-tribute students,who were selected from the Linshengs who were excellent on both ability and morality.However,after the Wanli calendar,Grace-tribute students were selected from the Linshengs who ate granary many years in turn.And there are other conditions for selection between the ages of 30 and 60,and experiencing three or more imperial examinations.After being tested by Hanlin Academy,the students who passed the exam can be enrolled in the Imperial College to get an education and not allowed to confer the profession of teacher.After getting enough credits,they could get the background to go to Ministry of Personnel for selection.For the Grace-tribute students in the Ming Dynasty,constrained by their qualifications,the conferment of official position and the promotion of the grade were limited.Grace-tribute students were conferred local officials at most,the condition of grade was better than year-tribute students,but mainly in the middle and low grades,dominated by the seventh and below.Due to the social ethos of “special emphasis on scholars” formed after the mid-Ming Dynasty,Grace-tribute students wanted to have a better career prospect and a higher social status,continuing the Imperial Competitive Examination was undoubtedly the most lucrative and most beneficial way.In addition,due to the rebound of the selection criteria in the latter period,Grace-tribute students also experienced many years of fatigue,coupled with the turbulent darkness of the social political situation in the late Ming Dynasty,many Grace-tribute students were reluctant as officials and found a way out.Scholars who have been awarded the name of Grace-tribute was meant that they were descending from the lower class gentlemen to the upper class gentlemen,and their social status was very different from that of the public.In terms of literary creation and compilation of local records,Grace-tribute students were also rich in production,leaving precious spiritual and cultural wealth for future generations.The Grace-tribute system was established during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty and was inherited and developed by the Qing Dynasty.It promoted the improvement of the Imperial Examination System,further improved the ancient talent selection system,and reached the purpose of the imperial court ruler,selecting a group of outstanding talents for local governance,enlightenment,and cultural heritage. |
