Xuezheng Examination Hall

Xuezheng Examination Hall

Xuezheng Examination Hall is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Xuezheng Examination Hall

Era: Qing Dynasty

Address: Hailing District, Taizhou City, Jiangsu Province Taizhou’s “Xuezheng Examination Hall” was the place where candidates used to take the imperial examinations for the xiucai degree. The examination hall is a large complex of ancient buildings. In front of the main gate stands a tall screen wall made of blue bricks, with four dignified and weighty golden characters “学政试院” (Xuezheng Examination Hall) shining brilliantly in the sunlight. The radiant glow seems as if the Confucian ideals of a thousand years ago still shine with their brilliance; on the back of the screen wall is a blue stone relief titled “Viewing the Examination Results,” which is extremely interesting upon closer inspection. Among the crowd gathered in front of the results board are people of all ages, searching for their own or others’ names. Needless to say, those beaming with joy must be the ones who passed the exam, while those who failed look dejected. Even more amusingly, farm dogs and white geese stroll nonchalantly through the crowd of examinees, exuding a strong rustic charm. On both the east and west sides of the square stand four-pillar, three-gate gateways, with plaques inscribed with “Soaring Dragons and Rising Phoenixes” and “Purple Lightning and Blue Frost.” Though I’m not sure of their exact meaning, I imagine that in that era, most people’s rise to prominence was related to the imperial examinations. Inside each gateway stands a music pavilion, square wooden-framed pavilions in the Ming and Qing styles built on high blue brick platforms. One can imagine how lively it must have been on the day the results were announced, with dozens of musicians playing inside the grand music pavilions.

The Examination Hall

The main gate is a traditional hip-and-gable style gate, consisting of five bays, two recessed sections, and three door openings. On the walls on either side of the gate are brick carvings with the golden characters “明经取士” (Selecting Scholars Through the Classics) and “为国求贤” (Seeking Virtuous Officials for the Country)—undoubtedly the guiding principles of the examination hall. Under the double-eave roof of the gate hangs a blue-plated horizontal sign reading “China Imperial Examination Museum.” Ah, what a grand sign. It is said that the Taizhou Examination Hall is currently the only well-preserved imperial examination museum in the country. Beyond the main gate lies another ceremonial gate, with the Fushen Shrine on the east side, dedicated to the God of Literature. On the west side is the Office Hall, where the exhibition of the examination official’s sedan chair and ceremonial guard is particularly eye-catching. I observed that the sedan chair doesn’t resemble the common ones we’re familiar with at all—it looks more like an exquisitely carved wooden bed. Even Li Hongzhang’s official sedan chair wouldn’t have been much different, which shows the importance the state placed on the imperial examination system.

Entering through the ceremonial gate leads to the examination area, with rows of examination booths built along both sides of the corridor. These were the places where candidates took their exams, ate, and slept. The examination booths are made of bricks, higher in the front and lower in the back, and seem rather cramped. Each examination cubicle is separated by bricks, no taller than 2 meters, less than 1 meter wide, and just over 1 meter deep, with bamboo curtains hanging at the entrance. Inside each booth are two wooden boards—the inner one serves as a seat, and the outer one is movable, functioning as a desk during the day and combining with the inner board to serve as a bed at night. Candidates spent three days of exams in these confined spaces, which must have been truly challenging. Near the corridor, there are wax figures of candidates that look remarkably lifelike, posed in various attitudes. Some are deep in thought, resting their chins on their hands; some are writing furiously; and others are even dozing off during the exam, which amuses visitors immensely. Passing through the corridor leads to the main hall, where a white marble statue of Confucius stands tall in the center, with thick eyebrows, a broad forehead, long beard flowing over his chest, and sleeves nearly two feet wide.

Walking around the main hall, you’ll see the solemn and imposing Sibu Hall, with five bays facing forward. Hanging high inside is a large blue-plated golden plaque inscribed with “Four Teachings Hall.” The Four Teachings refer to the moral education of individuals in four aspects: literature, conduct, loyalty, and trustworthiness. It is a place where officials, after handling official duties in the main hall, come here to reflect on their gains and losses, seek remedies, and thereby improve their governance skills. I believe this practice of the ancients is worth learning from in modern times.

The innermost part is the backyard, where the garden features two massive Taihu rocks, inscribed respectively with “Wenchang Star” and “Solely Occupying the First Place”—symbolizing people’s beautiful aspirations for success in the imperial examinations. The exhibition hall introduces China’s imperial examination culture, the Xuezheng Examination Hall, imperial examination education, anecdotes about notable figures, and Taizhou celebrities through physical objects, images, and simulated scenes.

The imperial examination system has existed in China for over a thousand years. During the Qing Dynasty, imperial examinations were held every three years—provincial exams in spring, presided over by provincial officials; prefectural exams in summer, presided over by prefectural officials; and departmental exams in autumn, presided over by education commissioners. The Taizhou Xuezheng Examination Hall was originally named Yangjun Examination Hall. Renowned Qing statesmen Zhang Tinglu and Liu Yong both presided over departmental exams here in Taizhou. Many notable figures emerged from the Taizhou Xuezheng Examination Hall, such as Ruan Yuan, Li Chunfang, Wang Gen, and Zheng Banqiao. The exhibited materials introduce a nearly hundred-year-old man who came to take the exam supported by his 12-year-old great-grandson—a rare case of both elder and younger passing the exam together, becoming a timeless anecdote.

The physical exhibits in the hall are also very rich, including the official attire of civil examination top-scorers, the armor and weapons used by military examination champions, as well as the ingeniously crafted cooking utensils and bamboo food boxes used by candidates. There is also a wood carving titled “The Qilin Reincarnates,” and bed carvings depicting scenes of rushing to take exams, farewells, and the joyous celebrations of erecting memorial archways in one’s hometown after achieving success. All these artifacts are closely tied to the imperial examinations. My son didn’t like looking at any of these at all and pulled me to see the scene of top-scoring scholars parading on horseback. The successful scholar, wearing a black official hat and a bright red robe adorned with red tassels, rode through the streets in a procession of ceremonial guards, drawing crowds of onlookers lining the streets.

But in truth, how many among the examinees could become top scorers? Even the number of xiucai degrees awarded per county was limited to just twenty. As interpreted aptly by the Hai ling Bamboo Branch Ci of the time: “Striving in the examination hall for fame, talents from eight districts gather here. Ten drumbeats announce the results—some families rejoice, while others grieve.”

In the past, the examination hall served candidates from eight counties under Yangzhou Prefecture—Jiangdu, Ganquan, Yizheng, Baoying, Gaoyou, Xinghua, Taizhou, and Dongtai—making significant contributions to the cultural prosperity of Taizhou. Today, this ancient building also stands as historical evidence of Taizhou’s role as an important cultural center in the Jianghuai region. Precious cultural relics, detailed historical materials, and Ming and Qing ancient architecture representing the highest construction standards of Taizhou leave a profound impression on every visitor. The examination hall is also the most valuable and proud historical and cultural heritage of Taizhou.

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units