China's Eight-Legged Essay

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Over the history of China, there are a series of transitions, and changes in policy and experience, which manifest themselves in different areas of the society. One such example is how educational and examination systems reflect the dominant social, political, and religious movements and their ideologies.
The format of the eight-legged essay also changed along with the educational and examination systems. I am having trouble identifying exactly when the eight-legged essay started, but there is information that points to its origins in the 1300s, with the term officially first used in the 1400s. The use of exams in China also has beginnings in the pre-Modern era, with its first uses for identifying bureaucratic placements as early as the …show more content…

In order for a person to be hired and be selected for a position in the government (the bureaucracy), they had to pass and do well on the exams. This system started in 1646, in Peking, Shanxi, and Shandong. A total of 373 degrees were given in these areas. In 1647, 298 more were given to people in Jiangsu and Anhui. In the 1670s, there was an increase in the Confucian doctrine that composed the curriculum in the educational system and of the exams, and certain material became flagship inclusions, like the “Four Books” and the “Five …show more content…

The educated people took the exams did better and got more job opportunities.
Another method of effects of the changing society on the system lies in the growing trends toward Confucianism and teaching.
Use of the Four Books and Five Classics emulates the time of Confucian principle.
The decision to include Confucian teaching from the Emperor,
Shunzi then Kangxi developed and highly controlled their systems.
Hierarchy from the Emperor for the Emperor, who is the most superior in the land in more ways than one.
The Confucian doctrine promises power to the Emperor over their subjects.
The hierarchical notion of filial piety is a part of Confucianism restoring power to the Emperor when these teachings are a doctrine of society.
In reality, as with everything, politics ultimately got in the way.
Some of the scholars who were going to take the exams chose not to in protest.
It would’ve been a loss of the memory of the Ming Dynasty, and they wanted to keep the memory alive in changing times.
The eight-legged essay also faced political and petty criticism, since it was the creation of an enemy of the Qing

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