Chapter 404: Lesson
After the initial month of the Lunar New Year, students from Shangjing embarked on their journeys to the capital, one after another.
The capital examination, also known as the Spring Quarter Examination, closely resembled the modern college entrance examination.
Typically, candidates participating in the capital examination were already esteemed as High Scholars. Nevertheless, there were exceptional individuals who joined the capital examination as Cultivated Talents.
This unique circumstance arose because the county examination for Cultivated Talents occurred only once a year, specifically in the autumn every three years. Consequently, those who underwent the county examination in a given year couldn’t participate in the local examination during that period.
However, certain outstanding Cultivated Talents could gain entry to the capital examination in the subsequent spring, provided they received joint recommendations from both the academy and local officials. This was especially true for impoverished scholars residing in the Capital who had experienced a fortunate twist of fate.
Had they achieved the status of a High Scholar first, they would not have remained in the ranks of impoverished scholars.
It’s worth noting that the imperial examination system varied across different dynasties. Some dynasties dispensed with the examination altogether, allowing anyone classified as a Cultivated Talent to take the examination in Beijing.
In the context of the dynasty depicted in the book, a total of 150 individuals had the opportunity to pass the Imperial Examination and secure a place in the rankings. To put it differently, the Imperial Examination of that year would admit 150 scholars.