Textual Research On Xiucai In The Northern Dynasties

The xiucai(秀才)selection system in ancient China was developed from the Han Dynasty to the Wei,Jin,Southern and Northern Dynasties,and was incorporated into the imperial examination(科举考试)system in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.The Northern Dynasties inherited the procuratorial examination(察举制度)in the Han and Wei dynasties,and later initiated the imperial examination in the Sui and Tang dynasties.The majority of xiucai in the Northern Dynasties came from aristocratic families,and most of them came from ordinary high families,with about one seventh of them from inferior families.It can be seen that the selection of xiucai has certain attraction to the aristocratic families,especially the ordinary high families,and also provides a certain space for the poor scholars to enter the official career.The Northern Dynasties inherited the examination system established in the Western Jin Dynasties,formed a fixed system and was valued by the rulers.As far as the diction is concerned,it is deeply influenced by the parallel prose,and gradually forms the magnificent writing style.Under the extremely difficult selection requirements,the xiucai group has high personal qualities,profound cultural cultivation,excellent personal character,and quite capable.Compared with direct employment,although there are risks in the examination,there are also more attractive advantages:when starting an official career,some scholars can enter the official career ahead of time and obtain a relatively good first official position;In the process of official career transfer,there are many exceptional leapfrog promotions;It can consolidate the original caste level and even break through the limitations of family background to reach a higher official peak.The xiucai selection channel provides the possibility for the scholars to promote themselves by virtue of their own talents.The examination factors contained in it have penetrated into the official selection system,and the social structure has also begun to have a new competition mechanism.This idea of stepping into the official career by virtue of ability has been developing continuously,and finally has been included in the core link of the imperial examination system.Since then,the system of selecting officials in ancient China has gained new vigor and vitality,and the concept of social equity has also taken on a new look.