Under Song emperors, the idea of scholar-officials reached its height. The Song relied on civil service exams and made them available to far more candidates, creating a meritocracy.A new school of thought known as neo-Confucianism influenced the exams. This new teaching blended the teachings of Confucius with elements of Buddhism and Daoism (two traditional religions in China).A Confucian scholar, Zhu Xi (JU SHEE), commented on classic Chinese writings. In 1190, his work was published as the Four Books, which became the basis of study for all civil service exams.Confucius taught that people must act properly in five important relationships: ruler and subject, father and son, older sibling and younger sibling, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Except for friends, one person in each relationship is above the other. Those above should be kind to those below, while those below should respect and obey those above. In particular, subjects must be loyal to their rulers. Song emperors and scholars believed that officials who had studied Confucius would be rational, moral, and able to maintain order.Under the Song, people from lower classes gained the ability to become scholar-officials since they could attend the new state-supported schools and continue on to the university. If they passed a local test, they became eligible to take the imperial exam in the capital. On those exams, they wrote essays and poems in a certain style and answered questions about political and social problems based on Confucian ideas.The exams were organized to prevent cheating. Candidates were locked in a small room for several days. A second person copied each paper so that the examiners would not know whose work they were reading.Only a small proportion of candidates passed the difficult exams. Those who failed could take the tests again in the future. Those who passed had to wait a few years before their first appointment. When it came, it was for a job far from their hometown, so that they could not give unfair advantages to their family and friends. At the end of three years, officials could move up in rank.Despite the challenges, people were happy to receive such respected positions. As government officials, they also enjoyed certain privileges, such as being excused from taxes and military service.

“[Under the Song dynasty], the number of men who were granted degrees [by passing the imperialexaminations] suddenly rose, indicating a similar rise in the number of candidates. This was made possibleby an increase in China’s productive power and the consequent accumulation of wealth. . . . A new classappeared in China [under the Song], comparable to the middle class in early modern Europe. In China thisnewly risen class concentrated hard on scholarship. . . .In principle [the examination system] was open to all qualified applicants regardless of social background,which made it unusually democratic. . . . But for a candidate to continue his studies without interruption forsuch a long period required a measure of economic support that was simply not available to poor people. . . .[Thus] the contention that the doors of the examination system were open to all applicants was anexaggeration, of course. . . . [Yet] we must not lose sight of the historical context: the very idea that everyoneshould be eligible for the examinations, regardless of family background or lineage, was incomparablyforward-looking in its day. . . . It is true that the examinations not only produced officials loyal to the state butalso, at times, resentful rejected applicants who opposed the system. Yet, when an old dynasty was replacedby a new, the latter usually undertook an early revival of the examination system practically unchanged.”Ichisada Miyazaki, historian, China’s Examination Hell, book published in19631. All of the following developments in Songdynasty China were important factors in theaccumulation of wealth outlined in the firstparagraph EXCEPT(A) increased Chinese involvement in theIndian Ocean trade(B) an increase in agricultural production inChina(C) increased Chinese production ofmanufactured goods(D) an increase in technological innovations inChina2. Which of the following statements from thesecond paragraph most directly supports theclaim that the examination system strengthenedthe Chinese states?(A) The statement that most successfulcandidates “required a measure ofeconomic support that was simply notavailable to poor people”(B) The statement that “when an old dynastywas replaced by a new, the latter usuallyundertook an early revival of theexamination system practicallyunchanged”(C) The statement that “the examinations notonly produced officials loyal to the statebut also, at times, resentful rejectedapplicants who opposed the system”(D) The statement that “the very idea thateveryone should be eligible for theexaminations . . . was incomparablyforward-looking in its day

he Confucian Analects: The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, recorded by thedisciples of Confucius between 551 and 479 BCE.Document _______Use evidence from the document and your knowledge of Confucianism and Daoism to suppo

Which philosophy or belief system did some Chinese rulers use to justify their absolute power over their subjects?ConfucianismImperialismDaoismbureaucratismlegalism

How did the Yuan Dynasty change the civil service exam and system in China? a)They instituted a quota, only allowing 25 percent of Han to take the exam and be part of the government. b)They changed the questions on the exam to focus on Neo -Confucian texts instead of Taoist ones. c)They eliminated the system completely and instituted Chinggis Khan's system of groups of 10,100,1,000 and 10,000 . d)They created a system of exams based on the Eight-Fold Path and emphasized religion over secularism.

Kung, the Master, who is known in the West as ConfuciusAs introduced by the Chou dynasty in the 11th century BCE, he is the one Supreme God believed to control the destinies of all mankind.The first major interpreter of Confucianism, he lived approximately 100 years after the death of Confucius and emphasized the natural goodness of human beings, believing that the right environment would make it possible for all people to live virtuously.Title given to the founder of Taoism, it means “Old Master” or “Old Boy” or “Old Baby.”The second major interpreter of Confucius, he (1) emphasized more than Confucius had the role of li (rites, ceremonies) in organizing and educating people, and (2) denied the basic goodness of people, saying that people are inclined towards evil.