Sequel: A Beauty Like Jade from Within a Book...

Miyazaki Ichisada's "The Imperial Examination" - A Must-Read

“Within books are thousands of bushels of grain,” “Within books are beauties with faces like jade” Even if you say this, simply reading books and becoming knowledgeable will not allow you to obtain "thousands of bushels of grain" or "beauties with faces like jade." It is only by passing the "Imperial Examination" and becoming an official that these things are realized.

The Imperial Examination. A civil service recruitment examination held from the beginning of the Sui dynasty until the early 20th century. It imposed extremely harsh and difficult tasks, ranging from the rote memorization of the Four Books and Five Classics, the composition of poetry, the creation of rigid essays known as "eight-legged essays," to the final examination conducted by the Emperor himself in the palace. While it had the fairness of being open to everyone, the excessive competition brought about significant negative consequences.

I do not have the space here to discuss the Imperial Examination in detail, but those who are interested should read the masterpiece "The Imperial Examination" (Chuko Bunko) by Dr. Miyazaki Ichisada. This book, subtitled "China's Examination Hell," not only details the Imperial Examination system but also cultivates our ability to view Chinese history and culture through the study of the examination. If I were to list a few must-read books for understanding China, I would put this book at the very top.

Lu Xun's "Kong Yiji," which vividly depicts the evils of the Imperial Examination

The evils of the Imperial Examination have been taken up in many literary works. If I were to choose one from among them, it would probably be Lu Xun's "Kong Yiji." Although it is a short story of only a few pages, it satirically depicts the figure of Kong Yiji, a fallen intellectual eroded by the Imperial Examination, leaving nothing out. Behind the satire, one can still feel a certain amount of sympathy, which makes the criticism of the society that produced such a distorted person even more effective.

What is a "Half-a-Xiucai"?

In "Kong Yiji," there is a scene where a drunken customer at a tavern teases Kong Yiji, saying, "You, why couldn't you even become a budding Xiucai?" (translated by Takeuchi Yoshimi).
This "budding Xiucai" is "半个秀才" in Lu Xun's original text. "秀才" is a title given to those who have passed the preliminary stage of the Imperial Examination and earned the qualification to become students at prefecture, state, or county schools. "Half-a-Xiucai," translated as "budding Xiucai," is a colloquial term for someone who did not become a full "Xiucai" but had reached a certain grade, granting them the privilege of only having to take the final exam next time. They are teasing him by saying, "Couldn't you even pass the first exam?"

Is a "Xiucai" knowledgeable or ignorant?

“Xiucai” usage varies by era, but in short, it can be understood as a student studying for exams (though they range from teenagers to people in their 60s and 70s), or more broadly as an intellectual or "literati" as they are called in Chinese.

“Xiucai bu chumen, neng zhi tianxia shi”. A Xiucai can know everything in the world without leaving his door. Although Xiucai are usually the target of satire and teasing, here they are unusually praised. It is said that the philosopher Kant never left the village where he was born in his entire life.

“Xiucai exi bu maishu”. A Xiucai will not sell his books even if he starves to death. I understand that!

“Xiucai tan shu, tubu shuo zhu”. When a Xiucai opens his mouth, he talks about books; when a butcher opens his mouth, he talks about pigs. They bring up work-related topics at the drop of a hat. At my school... At my company... "San ju hua bu li ben hang." They can't go two sentences without talking about their profession. I must refrain from bringing up book talk at drinking parties. A note to self.