Jinshi (
Chinese: 進士;
pinyin: jìnshì) was the highest and final degree in the
imperial examination in
Imperial China.[1][2] The examination was usually taken in the imperial capital in the palace, and was also called the Metropolitan Exam. Recipients are sometimes referred to in English-language sources as Imperial Scholars.[3]
The jinshi degree was first created after the institutionalization of the civil service exam. Initially it had been "for six categories" but was later consolidated into a single degree. This system first appeared during the
Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220).[2] Throughout the
Tang dynasty, every year around one to two percent of test takers would obtain a jinshi title out of a total of one to two thousand test takers.[4]
The numbers of Jinshi degrees given out were increased in the
Song dynasty, and the examinations were given every three years. Most senior officials of the Song dynasty were jinshi holders.[5]
The
Ming dynasty resumed the civil-service exam after its occurrence became more irregular in the
Yuan dynasty. After the reign of the
Emperor Yingzong of Ming, it became the rule that only jinshi holders could enter the
Hanlin Academy. On average around 89 jinshi per year were conferred.[6]
During the
Qing dynasty around 102 jinshi degrees were given a year.
The highest scoring jinshi in the country was known as the zhuangyuan, a term that survives today as a high scoring gaokao test taker or just someone who is very good at a skill.
Subtypes of jinshi recipients
Jinshi Jidi (
進士及第, lit. "distinguished jinshi"), graduates ranked first class in the court exam, usually only the top three individuals were qualified for this title.
Zhuangyuan (
狀元, lit. "top thesis author"), the jinshi who ranked first overall nationwide.
Bangyan (
榜眼, lit. "eyes positioned alongside"), the jinshi who ranked second overall just below zhuangyuan.
Tanhua (
探花, lit. "flower snatcher"), the jinshi ranked third overall.
Jinshi Chushen (
進士出身, lit. "jinshi background"), the graduates who ranked second class in court exam, ranking immediately after the tanhua.
Tong Jinshi Chushen (
同進士出身, lit. "along with jinshi background"), graduates ranked third class in the court exam.
Notable jinshi recipients by year
Tang dynasty
Chen Zi'ang, (c. 685) poet who was important in helping to bring into being the type of poetry which is considered to be characteristically "
Tang"
Sun Jiagan (1713) (
Chinese: 孫嘉淦;
pinyin: Sūn Jiāgàn, 1683–1753) officeholder of Libu Shilang,[note 1]Xingbu Shangshu[note 2] by 1730[citation needed], and later to Libu Shangshu in 1738.[9]He was degraded for disrespect in taking up the Qianlong Emperor's pencil to write with. However, the emperor restored him to office.[citation needed] After holding various posts, in 1741 Sun became
Viceroy of Huguang, where he introduced the system of subsidized chiefs, in order to keep the aborigines under control.
Jiang Zhongyuan (1844) (Chinese: 江忠源), courtesy name Changrui, (常孺) was a scholar and soldier from Hunan who fought for the Qing and against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Taiping Rebellion.
^*
Owen, Stephen, "Tang Xian-zu, Peony Pavilion: Selected Acts," in Stephen Owen, ed. An Anthology of Chinese Literature: Beginnings to 1911. New York:
W. W. Norton, 1997.
p. 880-906 (
Archive).