“Taken the Examination More than Twenty Times”: The Chinese Examination System

The examination system is one of the most unique features of the Chinese dynasties. We often highlight how the Chinese introduced a systematic and meritocratic system for staffing the government bureaucracy. Although the tests were standardized, it didn’t mean that everything ran smoothly. During the late Tang Dynasty, a collection of stories about the examinations was published. Many of these stories highlight the more humorous side of the examinations.