Notes on the Abolition of the Civil Service Examinations

Luo DunrongNanhai Publication Company · ChinaSep 2023

Rating 3.1
Word count
433 words
Chapters
2

Tags

Eastern Philosophy Institutional TransformationEducational TransformationSocial ChangeAbolition of ExamsOfficial SelectionPower GameFactual RecordsTurning PointLate Qing ReformModernization Process

Summary

This book is "Notes on the Abolition of the Civil Service Examination," by Luo Dunrong.

Editor's review

This book is Luo Dunrong's notes on the abolition of the civil service examination, focusing on the reactions of court and society and related personnel around the abolition of the examination system in the late Qing; it is short but information-dense. Writing in the late Qing and early Republic, the author had direct experience of the plight of scholars and the currents of opinion at the time; his account is mainly a record of what he saw and heard, allowing readers to feel the shock of the abolition from the perspective of those involved in institutional change. Its value lies in offering a concrete, fine-grained window on the transformation of modern education and the question of scholars' career prospects; it is suitable as supplementary reading for the history of late Qing reform, the history of the examination system, and modern educational history. Readers should note the personal standpoint and limited scope of note-style sources and read it alongside edicts, memorials, and materials on the subsequent founding of schools to form a more complete picture. The book should not be used as a general history of the examination system; it is better suited to readers with some background knowledge as topical reference.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. First learn the background and related edicts of the abolition, then read the book to understand the context of the personnel it records.
  2. Compare the court and social reactions in the book with memorials and newspaper materials to distinguish personal observation from public opinion.
  3. Take notes by topic, such as scholars' career prospects and the founding of schools, to form thematic notes for later reference.
  4. Read alongside works on modern educational history to place the book's details within the broader context of institutional change.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 记废科举

FAQ

Can this book replace a monograph on the history of the examination system? No. This book consists of notes on the abolition of the examination, emphasizing observation and personnel rather than a systematic account of institutional evolution. To learn about the subjects, levels, and development of the examination, read a dedicated history; this book is suitable, after acquiring basic background, for supplementing the specific reactions and details surrounding the abolition.
Is the book's attitude toward the abolition objective? Note-style sources often carry the author's personal standpoint and the influence of his circle, and their selection of material may not be balanced. Readers should treat the views in the book as one record from the perspective of scholars of the time rather than a final judgment, and should compare edicts, memorials, newspapers, and other materials to see how different groups reacted before drawing conclusions.
What preparation is needed before reading this book? It is advisable first to grasp the general timeline of the abolition and the basic framework of the late Qing New Policies, and to understand the background of the examination and schools coexisting and transitioning. With this foundation, the figures and events in the book are easier to place. If you are only browsing, you can start with entries that interest you and fill in the background afterward.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Luo Dunrong Author · Chinese · 1872–1924

Luo Dunrong (1872–1924), courtesy name Xiaoyu and style names Yandong and Yinggong, was a native of Shunde, Guangdong, and a modern poet, calligrapher and playwright. A disciple of Kang Youwei, he rose to a post as a director in the Ministry of Posts and Communications and in the Republican era served as a secretary in the Presidential Office and a councillor in the State Council. He was counted, together with Liang Dingfen and others, among the Four Masters of Modern Lingnan. His writings span historical reading, prose and miscellaneous notes, folk literature and literary appreciation. Fifty of his works are held in the collection, including The Taiping Rebellion, Three Records of the Cession of Taiwan, Remaining Tales of the Boxer Upheaval, The Empress Dowager's Remarriage and A Private Record of Emperor Dezong's Succession, most of which draw on late Qing and early Republican historical events and court lore; Bintui Suibi is noted for its miscellaneous sketches. He also wrote several plays for Cheng Yanqiu, contributing to opera creation.