Song Dynasty Imperial Examination System

Timeline

1. 1041–1050Examination halls of the Northern Song circuits · ChinaCandidates first sat the provincial examination; successful ones proceeded to the Ministry of Rites metropolitan examination, then the palace examination determined final rankings. The jinshi degree was the highest, and its recipients were appointed to office, forming the main channel of Song civil service selection.
2. 1041–1050Ministry of Rites Examination Hall · KaifengThe Song metropolitan examination widely employed sealing and transcription: papers were copied without candidates' names before being graded by examiners, reducing favoritism and fraud, and marking an important sign of the examination system's maturation.
3. 1041–1050Northern Song · ChinaUnder Emperor Renzong, the number of jinshi graduates per session increased over earlier periods, and the proportion of scholars from humble backgrounds entering office through the examinations rose, making the examinations a core institution for the formation of the Song scholar-official class and social mobility.