Page:China- Its State and Prospects.djvu/197

Rh, as affording the advantage of a good standing before the literary chancellor; the first name among them being almost sure of a degree.

After the magistrates have tried the capacities of the young men, they are subjected to a more rigorous examination before the chancellor, which determines their fate, as to the first degree. The trial takes place in the county hall, which is divided into compartments, just sufficient for the accommodation of each student; they are searched on entering, to prevent their carrying with them any books or papers, that might assist them in their compositions; themes are given out, on which they write both in prose and poetry; their productions are marked instead of being signed, in order to prevent partiality; and the papers being laid before the chancellor, he selects the best, and confers on their authors the title of sew tsae, equivalent to our bachelor of arts; at the rate of one per cent. [sic] on all the candidates; averaging ten for each district, twenty for each department, and thirty for each county; and giving about twelve hundred for the province of Canton, at every examination. As these take place twice in every three years, there must be an annual increase of eight hundred graduates for Canton alone. On attaining the first step of literary rank, the individual is exempted from corporeal punishment, and cannot be chastised but by the chancellor himself.

The examination for the second degree, takes place once in every three years, at the provincial cities; and is attended by sew tsae's only. The 2400 newly made graduates, together with the unsuccessful ones of former years, now assemble, and form a body of about