Sichuan Gongyuan (Imperial Examination Hall)

Sichuan Gongyuan

The Sichuan Gongyuan, a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in Langzhong, was an important site for selecting talent in feudal society over an extended period. Commonly known as the examination shed, it served as the testing venue for scholars during the imperial examination era. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, examination sheds used for county and prefectural level tests were called shiyuan (trial examination) sheds, while those for provincial (xiangshi) and metropolitan (huishi) level examinations were referred to as gongyuan. Among all gongyuan, only the Jiangnan Gongyuan—also known as the Nanjing Gongyuan—still retains a corner of its examination cells, and the most well-preserved gongyuan is the one located here in Langzhong. Therefore, as the sole surviving site of advanced imperial examinations, the Langzhong Gongyuan stands as a significant historical attraction showcasing China’s imperial examination culture from the feudal era.

In the early years of the Qing Dynasty, before the Qing army had fully conquered Sichuan, Langzhong came under Qing jurisdiction first. The military and political officials dispatched by the Qing government to Sichuan were stationed in Langzhong, making it the de facto provincial capital. In the ninth year of the Shunzhi reign (circa 1652 AD), the Sichuan supplementary examination for the Xinmao Year (辛卯科) was held, and the examination shed was set up in Langzhong. Subsequently, the 1654 Jiawu Year (甲午科) and the 1657 Dingyou Year (丁酉科) provincial examinations were also conducted there, hence the examination shed was recognized as a gongyuan shed.