Page 57 - Are You Future Ready?

Chapter One - To Know the Present
Through the Past

Sideline

/ 1 in 6,000 /

Prof. Benjamin Elman, an American historian pointed
out that the imperial examinations have cultivated
and identified a large number of talents in the
Chinese dynasties, but the competition was very
keen. Taking the situation of the middle and late
Qing Dynasty (1850) as an example:

• 1st round: county examination – held two
times every three years with about two million
candidates participating. The passing rate was 055
only 1.5%, or 30,000 people;
• 2nd round: provincial examination - held every
three years. The passing rate was 5% of those
who passed the county examination or 1,500
people;
• 3rd round: examination in the capital. Passing
rate: about 20% or 300 people. In other words,
there was about a 1 in 6,000 chance of winning
the game.

This kind of examination and selection of officials
is exactly the same as the Hong Kong civil service
system.