中国古代的科举 · China's Ancient Imperial Exam

科举kējǔ是shì中国Zhōngguó古代gǔdài选拔xuǎnbá官员guānyuán的de制度。zhìdù

The keju was an ancient Chinese system for selecting officials.

它tā始shǐ于yú隋朝,Suí cháo前后qiánhòu延续yánxù了le一千yìqiān三百sānbǎi多年。duō nián

It began in the Sui dynasty and continued for over 1300 years.

通过tōngguò层层céngcéng考试,kǎoshì考生kǎoshēng要yào在zài经书、jīngshū诗文shī wén和hé行政xíngzhèng判断pànduàn上shàng接受jiēshòu考验。kǎoyàn

Through several rounds, candidates were tested on classics, poetry, and administrative judgment.

理论lǐlùn上,shàng即使jíshǐ一个yí ge贫pín寒hán的de读书人,dúshū rén也yě能néng通过tōngguò读书dúshū改变gǎibiàn命运。mìngyùn

In theory, even a poor scholar could change his fate through study.

但dàn现实xiànshí中,zhōng备考bèikǎo的de成本chéngběn非常fēicháng高昂。gāo'áng

But in practice, the cost of preparing for the exam was enormous.

许多人xǔduō rén一辈子yíbèizi研读yándú经书,jīngshū始终shǐzhōng没能méi néng考kǎo上。shàng

Many people studied the classics for an entire lifetime without ever passing.

科举kējǔ塑造sùzào了le中国人Zhōngguó rén"学而xué ér优yōu则zé仕"shì的de想象。xiǎngxiàng

The keju shaped the Chinese imagination of "learning leads to officialdom."

即便是jíbiàn shì今天,jīntiān现代xiàndài高考gāokǎo仍réng被bèi视为shì wéi它tā的de延续。yánxù

Even today, the modern college entrance exam is still seen as its echo.

考试kǎoshì分fēn好几级,hǎo jǐ jí从cóng县里xiàn lǐ一直yìzhí考到kǎo dào京城。jīngchéng

The examinations came in several grades, from the county all the way to the capital.

最低zuì dī一级yì jí叫jiào童试,tóngshì考中kǎo zhòng的人de rén称为chēngwéi秀才。xiùcai

The lowest grade was the child examination, and those who passed were called xiucai.

再往上zài wǎng shàng是shì乡试、xiāngshì会试,huìshì最后zuìhòu是shì皇帝huángdì亲自qīnzì主持zhǔchí的de殿试。diànshì

Above that came the provincial and metropolitan exams, then the palace exam the emperor presided over himself.

殿试diànshì的de第一名dì yī míng叫jiào状元,zhuàngyuán是shì天下tiānxià读书人dúshū rén的de梦想。mèngxiǎng

First place in the palace exam was the zhuangyuan, the dream of every scholar under heaven.

考场kǎochǎng是shì一间间yì jiān jiān小屋子,xiǎo wūzi只有zhǐ yǒu一张桌子yì zhāng zhuōzi那么大。nàme dà

The examination hall was a row of tiny cells, each about the size of one desk.

考生kǎoshēng要yào在zài里面lǐmiàn待上dāi shàng几天几夜,jǐ tiān jǐ yè吃住chī zhù都dōu在其中。zài qízhōng

Candidates stayed inside for several days and nights, eating and sleeping there.

为了wèile防止fángzhǐ作弊,zuòbì考生kǎoshēng进场前jìn chǎng qián要yào被bèi搜身。sōushēn

To prevent cheating, candidates were searched before entering.

有人yǒu rén把bǎ小抄xiǎochāo写xiě在zài衣服yīfu的de夹层里,jiācéng lǐ甚至shènzhì写xiě在zài毛笔杆上。máobǐ gǎn shàng

Some wrote crib notes into the lining of their clothes, even onto the shaft of a brush.

也yě有人yǒu rén考kǎo了le一辈子,yíbèizi头发tóufa白bái了le还在考。hái zài kǎo

Others sat the exam their whole lives, still sitting it when their hair had turned white.

《儒林外史》里Rúlín Wàishǐ lǐ的de范进,Fàn Jìn中举zhòng jǔ时shí高兴gāoxìng得de发fā了le疯。fēng

Fan Jin, in The Scholars, went mad with joy when he finally passed.