GBP Chapter 328 The first round of the provincial examination has begun!
Chapter 328 The first round of the provincial examination has begun!
Yun Muze also entered smoothly, looking at the five people entering in front of him with a strange expression.
Didn't we know from the beginning? When we visited that day, they said they had already found all the people to form a bond with.
Alas, the meager friendships of childhood will surely be washed away by the long river of time.
Yes, we have no value in befriending them, but I didn't expect the Jiang family of Xinghe Prefecture to be so pragmatic.
Yun Muze carried the exam basket, his mind filled with countless thoughts, yet he never realized that his interactions with others were always driven by ulterior motives.
Once inside and seated, most candidates began tidying up their desks, dusting them, and organizing their belongings.
Jiang Xiaoqi also gave Lao Wang a set of exam supplies, including a bamboo tube, an oilcloth bag, and three kinds of rice paste.
At this point, everyone hung the oilcloth bags containing bamboo tubes on the guns and draped the oilcloth over them to prevent rain during the exam.
The examinees next to and across from them couldn't help but laugh when they saw what the group was doing.
With the sun shining brightly, how could it rain? At least it won't rain for the next two days, so this is really unnecessary.
Once the examination hall gradually quieted down, a minor official stepped forward to read out the pre-examination instructions for the provincial examination.
The lecture was so long and complicated that it made the test takers drowsy.
However, the Jiang family members listened attentively, even though this was not something Jiang Xiaoqi had instructed them to do beforehand.
Perhaps this was due to the excitement and nervousness of participating in the provincial examination for the first time, fearing that any mistake would lead to failure.
Old Wang had heard it once before, so he listened with one ear while the other one dozed off.
It wasn't that I couldn't hear it; I only remembered the useful parts and ignored the nonsense.
The first round of the provincial examination mainly tested students' understanding of the Four Books and Five Classics.
The questions are drawn from "The Great Learning," "The Doctrine of the Mean," "The Analects," and "Mencius." Candidates are required to express their personal views based on the questions.
The Five Classics refer to the Book of Poetry, the Book of Documents, the Book of Rites, the Book of Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. Of course, the questions will vary depending on which classic the candidates have studied.
Each province only has one provincial champion (解元), but there are five provincial champions (经魁).
The top five in the provincial examination were generally the best in their respective categories of the Five Classics.
Landlord Jiang had previously ranked fifth in the provincial examination of Xuanzhong Prefecture, and was naturally the top scholar in his own field.
When answering questions, the writing style is generally the eight-legged essay, with a fixed structure, including the following parts: breaking the topic, continuing the topic, beginning the discussion, getting started, first argument, middle argument, last argument, and conclusion.
However, after the previous dynasty was destroyed, the imperial examination system underwent some changes and improvements in the current Great Zhou Dynasty.
The style of writing is no longer as demanding, but when answering questions, you still need to stay focused on the topic, quote classics, have clear logic, and express yourself fluently in order to catch the examiner's eye.
Most people would choose the official script for writing, simply because its clarity and legibility surpass all others.
The second part of the provincial examination mainly tested candidates' understanding of imperial edicts, memorials, and judgments. The questions on "discussion" often involved historical events, political theories, or social issues, requiring candidates to analyze them by combining the Four Books and Five Classics with their own understanding.
The question requires clear logic and strong arguments; it is designed to test the candidates' critical thinking skills.
Imperial edicts and memorials are a collective term for three types of writing, which are actually imitations of official documents of the imperial court, such as imperial edicts, decrees, and memorials.
The format must be standardized, and the language must be dignified and elegant. Candidates who are not familiar with this type of writing have to spend money to buy model essays that are circulated among adults. Of course, there are also free ones, but they are not guaranteed to be "genuine".
The judgment section simulates a judicial ruling, requiring candidates to write a judgment based on the case details.
According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the case must be judged logically, legally, fairly, and impartially to determine who is right and who is wrong.
This is to assess candidates' comprehensive abilities, including analysis, official document writing, and judicial judgment, and to select talents with practical administrative handling capabilities.
The third session of the provincial examination mainly tested candidates' knowledge of classics, history, and current affairs. The questions covered classics, history, and current affairs.
Candidates are required to propose solutions by combining Confucian classics, historical events, and current political, economic, social, and livelihood issues.
Those who answer the questions need to have clear logic, strong arguments, and offer suggestions and advice to those in power that are relevant to the actual situation of the current dynasty.
This exam assesses the candidates' accumulated knowledge, the breadth, depth, and practical application abilities of their knowledge.
To select talents with practical experience in governing the country and to assess their comprehensive qualities and governance abilities.
The book returns to its true story.
After the clerk finished reading the exam papers, the servants distributed them.
The examination room grew even quieter, with only the sounds of paper turning, ink sticks rubbing against inkstones, and soft sighs.
Jiang Xiaoqi quickly sorted out her thoughts, picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote one pleasing character after another on the paper.
The Jiang family members were scattered in different examination booths in the examination hall, which was good, as no one was next to a "stinky" candidate.
The clan brothers, who did not look very alike, had a surprisingly similar aura at this moment.
After entering the examination room, Yun Muze couldn't calm down for some reason, and it took him a full quarter of an hour to grind the ink.
As I picked up my pen, the burned manuscript seemed to reappear before my eyes.
He shook his head and finally made his first stroke on the draft paper.
Jiang Xiaoqi's original text is the Spring and Autumn Annals.
The exam question was: "Duke Zhuang of Zheng defeated Duan at Yan."
The original text states: "Duke Zhuang of Zheng defeated Duan at Yan."
Duan was not a brother, so he did not mention his brother; like two rulers, he was said to be "conquered"; he called him Duke of Zheng, which was a criticism of his failure to be properly educated, hence the name "Zheng Zhi"; he did not mention his escape, because it was difficult to say.
So Jiang Shi went to Chengying and swore an oath: "Until we reach the Yellow Springs, we shall not meet again." But she regretted it afterward.
Translate into plain language—
"What did Duke Zhuang of Zheng do when he defeated Gongshu Duan at Yan? He didn't act like a younger brother, so I don't say he was Duke Zhuang's younger brother, I just write his name; the war between Duke Zhuang and Gongshu Duan was like a war between the rulers of two states, so I use the word 'defeat'; I call Duke Zhuang 'Duke of Zheng' to satirize his failure to teach his younger brother, which fostered his evil, and also to explain Duke Zhuang's original motives; I don't write about Gongshu Duan fleeing to the state of Gong, because I feel it's difficult to write about blaming Gongshu Duan alone."
So, Duke Zhuang of Zheng settled his mother in Chengying and swore, "I will not see you again until I am in the Yellow Springs." Soon after, he regretted his decision.
To answer the questions, you need to know what the question setter really wants to ask.
The same sentence can be interpreted in a thousand different ways by different people. Sometimes you think you've guessed the questioner's intention, but little do you know you've gone in the opposite direction.
Jiang Xiaoqi paused to ponder for a moment, then picked up his pen again shortly afterward.
It is written: "The story of Duke Zheng defeating Duan at Yan fully demonstrates the complexity of human nature and the importance of etiquette. Duke Zheng's failure to be taught and Duan's lack of brotherly respect both violated ethical norms."
However, this matter was not the fault of a single person. She then changed the subject, saying, "Duke Zheng, being in the position of ruler, should have used benevolence to influence his younger brother, but instead allowed his evil thoughts to grow; Duan, relying on his mother's favor, became arrogant and attempted to seize power, which was the source of the chaos."
As for Zheng Bo's regret after swearing never to see his mother again, it shows that he still had some conscience. The deeper meaning here is to warn future generations that rulers should educate their children well, sons should uphold brotherly love, and ministers can use this to observe the character of their rulers.