Yuan Chonghuan

Timeline

1. 1601–1605Teng County · GuangxiDuring this period Yuan Chonghuan was registered in Teng County, Guangxi, studying for the examinations as a county student while also studying military strategy and practicing archery and horsemanship, traveling widely. He accompanied his father on trading trips across Guangxi, accumulating experience for his later military career, but had not yet obtained the juren degree.
2. 1606Guilin · GuangxiIn autumn of Wanli 34 Yuan Chonghuan traveled to Guilin, the provincial capital of Guangxi, for the provincial examination and passed at once, aged twenty-three. After passing he wrote the poem 'Enjoying the Moon at the Autumn Examination,' high in spirits, but he then failed the metropolitan examination four times in succession, his examination career stalled for over a decade.
3. 1607–1610Beijing · BeijingAfter passing the provincial exam Yuan Chonghuan went to the capital four times for the metropolitan examination and failed each time, residing in the capital awaiting the exams between Wanli 35 and 38. During this period he continued studying military classics and watching frontier affairs, gradually forming the thought of taking up arms, but had not yet entered office. The Liaodong frontier crisis grew ever more severe while this future famed general still wandered in frustration on the examination path.