Appreciation of China's Ancient Academic System

Ancient academic system

Witty words; Punchline

The educational system of ancient schools did not have certain rules, and it was different from one generation to another.

Classical explanation

According to the Book of Rites, the academic system of official schools in the Western Zhou Dynasty is: "Admission in the following year, middle-aged assessment. One year depends on distinguishing classics, three years on respecting orchestras, five years on learning, and seven years is called small achievement; It is a great achievement to know the class for nine years and stand firm. " It means: "there is an opportunity to enter the school once a year, and the assessment is made every other year. One year's inspection to identify your ambition, three years' inspection to see if you are diligent and close to your classmates, five years' inspection to see if you are knowledgeable and respect your teachers, and seven years' inspection to see if you have an opinion and the ability to choose friends, all these standards have been achieved, that is, small success; After nine years of analogy, you can distinguish clearly and do not violate the teacher's training. This is Dacheng. "It can be seen that the official school at that time had to read for at least nine years.

Imperial academy in Han Dynasty did not specify the length of study, but the examination was very strict. In the Western Han Dynasty, there was an exam once a year in the form of "setting subjects and shooting strategies". Similar to today's lottery question and answer, it is divided into two subjects, A and B, to distinguish the degree. In the exam, if students are found to be inferior or fail to read a certain kind of classics, they will be ordered to drop out of school. In the middle of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the examination was changed to be held every two years, and those who passed were awarded official positions, while those who failed were required to continue their studies.

The official schools in Sui and Tang Dynasties had clear regulations on the students to be enrolled. Confucianism enrolls children of officials aged 65,438+04 to 65,438+08, with a study period of nine years, while law students aged 65,438+08 to 25 have a study period of six years. There are three kinds of exams: ten-day exam, year-old exam and graduation exam. The ten-day exam covers the courses learned in ten days, and those who fail will be punished. The annual exam covers the courses learned within one year, and those who fail will repeat the grade. Those who pass the graduation examination will be qualified for the imperial examination, and those who fail to study for nine years will be ordered to drop out of school.

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the learning system was different from before. The most prominent is the "three houses law" promoted by Wang Anshi in the Northern Song Dynasty, which divides students into three classes, namely, outer houses, inner houses and upper houses. Students must pass the exam and be promoted in turn according to their academic level. There are usually records of conduct ("behavior") and learning ("art"). Teachers hold "private exams" every month and schools hold "public exams" every year. Those who pass can be promoted in turn.

In the Yuan Dynasty, students were divided into three grades and six grades, and they were promoted step by step through examination points. The Ming Dynasty continued to use the integral system of the Yuan Dynasty. Students who enter imperial academy must be promoted to the lower class. A year and a half later, the master of arts and sciences was promoted to the intermediate class. In another year and a half, those who are "proficient in literature and history and excellent in arts and sciences" will be promoted to advanced classes; Then adopt the "integral system" and take the monthly exam. Eight points a year will pass, so you can wait for the official, and those who fail will go to jail. After the Qing dynasty, the integral system only had a false name, and it was only a few years to study in prison.