I will never be Renzong

Chapter 180 Reform Jinshi Division

In the Chongzheng Hall, all the big guys from the six departments were there, and Zhao Zhen was discussing with everyone the content of the Jinshi examination.

This year academicians are scheduled for the sixth day, seventh day, eighth day, and ninth day of June. The announcement time is scheduled for June [-]th, and the palace examination is scheduled for July [-]th.

Prime Minister Wang once said: "Officials! There are four exams in this court, the first is a test of poetry and fu, the second is a test of theory, the third is a test of strategy, and the fourth is a test of scriptures. If there is no objection, you will be notified. Candidates are here!"

Zhao Zhen said: "The imperial examination system in our dynasty followed the examination content of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. However, the talents selected through the imperial examination often have serious deviations from the talents needed to govern the country. The candidates for the exam only know how to memorize and pile up words. When I was an official, I caught them all blind, so I think that the content of the imperial examinations in this dynasty should be reformed, so as to acquire talents that can be used in the world!"

Lu Yijian said: "Officials! If you want to learn about the world, you must teach economics before you can acquire economic talents. Now the candidates who come to take the exam are all studying economics according to the content of the past. If you change the content of the exam rashly, such as righteousness, poetry and poetry, policy theory, etc., I am worried that it will cause dissatisfaction among all the judges!"

Lu Zongdao said: "Officials! According to the exam, there is still about one month left. I believe that if the imperial court changes the content of the imperial examination, it can only be changed slightly, not major changes, so as not to cause dissatisfaction among the judges!"

"My minister agrees!"

"My minister agrees!"

Several courtiers present agreed one after another.

Zhao Zhen thought for a moment and said, "What do you think of the cancellation of poetry and scriptures?"

Poetry and Fu is undoubtedly writing poems and songs, and trying to paste the scriptures, that is, choosing the learned scriptures to cover the two ends of the scriptures, leaving only one line in the middle of the scriptures, and using paper stickers to cover part of the words and sentences, so as to test the candidates' ability to memorize and recite the scriptures.

It is equivalent to filling in the blanks based on the content of the text. To be honest, it was just a matter of the scholar and juzi taking this test. But when it came to the Jinshi subject, it was hard to avoid having to recite the text.

Wang Zeng said: "Officials! Although poems and fus are all beautiful articles and seem to be useless, they often best reflect a person's knowledge and character. Therefore, I think that the subject of poetry and fu cannot be cancelled!"

Not all Zhao Zhen agrees with Wang Zeng's words. To be precise, poetry and songs can indeed show a person's knowledge, but it can be said that the quality of a person's character has little to do with his knowledge.

Take a look at the corrupt officials in history. None of them were talented in literature, full of knowledge, and there were even many practical people. If they were good at writing poems, songs, and poems and had good character, then it would be too easy to select officials.

The culture of the Chinese nation was created in the era of Zhao and Song Dynasties. In any case, poetry and songs still have a certain effect, at least they can cultivate sentiment and sublimate the pursuit of spiritual level.

After Zhao Zhen thought for a while, he said: "How about putting the examination of scriptures and poetry together as a scientific examination?"

Wang Zeng said: "Go back to the official's house! It's okay, but the exam time is bound to be very long!"

The poems in the imperial examination are called test post poems, which are standard metrical poems, including five-character four-rhyme, six-rhyme, eight-rhyme, etc.There are sixteen sentences with five characters and eight rhymes, and there are also a few test post poems with de-sounding rhyme and entering-sound rhyme.However, most of them have five-character six-rhyme and twelve-sentence level rhymes.

The Fu in the imperial examination is a metrical Fu. Like the test post poems, it must also be rhymed according to the official rhyme. The early rhyme rhymes were free, but later the requirements became stricter, and the rhymes began to be restricted like the metrical poems.There are not many words in the rhyme, but the antithesis is neat, the level is harmonious, and the rhyme is rigorous.

Therefore, among the subjects of poetry and composition, poetry is the most difficult.

For example, the modern college entrance examination composition generally has a set genre, whether it is a narrative essay, an argumentative essay, or a lyrical prose, it is generally left to the examinee's free play. Candidates can choose what they are good at to write, as long as the sentences are fluent , the arguments are reasonable, the descriptions of the environment and characters are clear-cut, and the handwriting is neat, you can basically get a good score.

However, the composition of Jinshi in the Song Dynasty not only requires not to digress, but also every sentence must rhyme, and the antithesis is neat and harmonious, which undoubtedly increases the difficulty of the exam.

Zhao Zhen thought for a while and said: "The time can be added or subtracted as appropriate, and the difficulty of the assignment can also be lowered appropriately!"

Lu Zongdao asked: "Officials! If these two subjects are integrated, what should they be called?"

The reason why Zhao Zhen put all the poems, songs and Fu together was to imitate the later generations of Chinese subjects, so Zhao Zhen said: "Test Poetry and Fu and Test Posting Classics are collectively called Guowen, and the so-called Guowen refers to the Four Books and Five Classics. .”

Zhao Zhen said again: "Try theory and test strategy, I also plan to combine the two into one, called the current affairs department!"

The two subjects of trial theory and trial policy are a bit like today's college entrance examination compositions. They are mainly argumentative essays. The purpose is of course to test candidates' views on classics, historical events, and current affairs.

During the examination, the chief examiner will hang a curtain in front of the examination room, "Show the questions on the forehead of the hall, if there are any difficulties in the questions, listen to the scholars and invite them outside the curtain, and answer the main text in detail in the curtain, then everyone will take their seats." composition".Generally, there are three or four exams.

Seeing this, Wang Zeng said, "I don't know what the officials plan to test in the other two subjects?"

Zhao Zhen said: "Nowadays, our dynasty has Taiwan Road and Gansu Road and is short of many grassroots officials. Therefore, most of the Jinshi who will be admitted this year will be assigned to actual duties and must be the county magistrate or county magistrate of a county.

The county magistrate is in charge of a county's political affairs, and is in charge of commercial taxes, farmland taxes, etc., so he must be proficient in arithmetic. I must be familiar with the laws of the Great Song Dynasty. Besides, I must also be proficient in some basic knowledge of prison break!

Therefore, I decided to test arithmetic in the third session and criminal law in the fourth session. "

Wang Zeng said: "Officials! I have no objection to the addition of number theory and criminal law departments, but it is too late to notify at this time?"

Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "It's not too late! There is still a month before the scientific examination. If the candidates who come to the scientific examination this time are all educated people, they should be familiar with mathematics. I have ordered the Royal Printing Bureau to print " Nine Chapters of Arithmetic, "Zhoubi Suanjing" and other arithmetic works, those who come to Beijing to rush for the exam can get them for free, and although it is a little rushed for a month, there is still time!"

"Okay! All the gentlemen go back and think about the topics that should be asked, and submit a letter to me, and I will accept it as appropriate!"

"Your servants will obey the orders of the officials!"

Seeing this, the minister had no choice but to bow, and then went down to start thinking about the imperial examination and what questions should be asked. Some people even thought about whether to notify their clansmen who were participating in the imperial examination in time.

Zhao Zhen actually wanted to imitate the college entrance examination system of later generations, but ancient times and modern times must be different, so he could only take his time and take it one step at a time.

(End of this chapter)