On the Special Imperial Examination for Choosing Scholars of Confucian Classics in the Qian Long Period

The special imperial examination was an temporary examination held according to the order issued by an emperor. In the Qing Dynasty such an examination was held for choosing scholars of Confucian classics since Qian Long the emperor respected and emphasized the study of Confucian classics. The problems that emerged in the process were appropriately solved. Only four examinees passed the exam, who were generally recognized as real scholars noted for their study of the classics. Though the exam was held only once in the Qing Dynasty, it improved the academic atmosphere and contributed to the addition of the section The Story of Scholars to the national history compiled by the department of national history.