A Study on the Tests of Zhao, Gao, Biao in Yuan-Ming Provincial Exams and Metropolitan Exams

This study probes into the government document tests of Provincial Exams and Metropolitan Exams in the Yuan-Ming Dynasty with the approaches of historical document analysis and statistics. There were three tests in each of Provincial Exams and Metropolitan Exams in the Yuan-Ming Dynasty. The government documents were placed in the second session. The government documents, Zhao and Gao, were used for the monarch to his subjects and the high-ranking officials to the low-ranking officials, and Biao was used for the low-ranking officials to the high-ranking officials. This study discusses the purpose of placing government document tests in and the development of the regulations. Aggregating and calculating the test questions, then analyzing the records of the imperial examination can figure out the concrete condition while implementing the test of government documents. This research also includes the study on the preparation books of the imperial examination such as the ones named as The Advanced Test, The Second and The Third Tests, and the compilations, the prefaces and indices based on Zhao, Gao and Biao. Hence, this study involves the implementation of the imperial examination, the compilations of the preparation books for the imperial examination, the publications, and the examinees’ preparations. This study can not only introduce the exam subjects of the imperial examination, the essay styles, the publications, but also be the contrast to the government document exams and the essay styles in other dynasties.