Exploring the Traditional Vietnamese Examination System - Printable Version +- InVietNam.org (https://invietnam.org) +-- Forum: Viet Nam History & Geography (https://invietnam.org/forum-24.html) +--- Forum: Vietnam in the Feudal Era (https://invietnam.org/forum-25.html) +--- Thread: Exploring the Traditional Vietnamese Examination System (/thread-177.html)

Exploring the Traditional Vietnamese Examination System - admin - 12-10-2024 The Vietnamese examination system under the feudal era spanned over ten centuries. The first examination was held in the year 1075 (At Mao) under the Ly Dynasty, and the last one took place in 1919 (Ky Mui) during the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh. 1. Development and Examination Rules Initially, the examination rules were not well-established. During the Ly Dynasty, the interval between exams was 12 years. By the Tran Dynasty, starting with the Ky Hoi exam (1239) under Tran Thai Tong, the interval was set to every 7 years. Later, during the reign of Le Thai Tong of the Le Dynasty, it was changed to every 3 years, and this rule remained until the end of the Nguyen Dynasty.   The traditional examination system consisted of three key exams: Huong Exam (Thi Hương), Hoi Exam (Thi Hội), and Dinh Exam (Thi Đình). These were seen as major milestones for scholars aspiring to attain prestigious governmental positions. 2. The Huong Exam a. Study Process and Eligibility In Vietnam, children began their education at local village schools, learning basic texts such as Tam Tu Kinh, Four Books (Tứ Thư), Five Classics (Ngũ Kinh), as well as Vietnamese history and ancient philosophical teachings. Students who passed preliminary exams at the village schools were exempted from labor duties and were eligible to take the Huong exam. b. Locations and Exam Content The Huong exam was a provincial or regional exam aimed at selecting candidates for the Hoi and Dinh exams. During the Le Dynasty, there were 9 examination venues, and under the Nguyen Dynasty, there were 7. Those who passed the Huong exam were divided into two categories: the higher-ranked candidates with titles like Cong Si or Huong Cong would proceed to the Hoi exam, while those who only passed as Tu Tai were not eligible for the Hoi exam. The content of the Huong exam included essays on the Four Books, Five Classics, royal edicts, prose, poetry, and policy essays (Van Sach). The passing rate was typically low. For instance, in 1708 at the Son Nam exam venue, only 80 out of 880 candidates passed as Cong si. 3. The Hoi and Dinh Exams a. Conditions and Content The Hoi exam was a national-level exam for those who had passed the Huong exam and earned the title of Cu nhan (Bachelor). The exam consisted of four stages, including essays on classics and policy essays. Those who passed the Hoi exam were awarded the title of Tien si (Doctor). The Dinh exam, held at the royal court, was the final stage where the emperor personally oversaw the ranking of the Tien si. The Tien si title was divided into several ranks: Trang Nguyen (First Laureate), Bang Nhan (Second Laureate), and Tham Hoa (Third Laureate) were collectively called "Tam Khoi" (Three Scholars). Other ranks included Hoang Giap, Dong Tien Si, and Pho Bang (introduced during the Nguyen Dynasty). b. Organization and Honors The Hoi and Dinh exams were grand events. Special areas were set up for examiners and candidates, and security was strictly maintained. In the Dinh exam, the emperor himself would question the candidates and review their answers. Those who passed were honored with a homecoming parade, their names were inscribed on stone steles at the Temple of Literature, and they were allowed to return to their hometowns with great fanfare. The Confucian examination system in Vietnam came to an end in 1919 under the reign of Khai Dinh, marking the closure of an important chapter in the country's educational and examination history.