The Emperor has sanctioned in an Iniperial edict ofthe 19th instant the new methods for examining future candidates for the B-A. (Chujén) and Doctor (Chin-shih) degrees as recommended by Their Excellencies Chang Chih-tung, Vicero the Hukuang provinces, and Chen chen, Governor of Hunav. The aber named examinations will be divided, as formerly, into three series of examinations, but in the first series the Wénchaug essays are to be changed into five subjects for essays on the ancient and modern histories of China and on the government and legal statutes of. the present dynasty. In the second series five subjects will be given for essays on modern politics and present-day state of affairs, -with special reference to the governments and institutions of the countries of the five great Continents, and ov the arts and sciences thereof. The third or last series of examinations are to be devoted to two essays on subjects selected: from the Confucian Analects (Four Books) and one essay or commentary on some selected subject from the Five Clussics. These examinations ate divided in the usual way, that is to say, three days to be devoted to each series of examinations, requiring the candidates to remain nine days in the examination halls to complete their work. After the first series of three days the candidates are Ca, allowed to leave the examination halls for their lodgings and not until the standing' of the candidates who have succeeded in passing the standard required of them has been publicly announced will they—that is those who have passed the standard—be required to re-enter the examination halls for the second series, and so on, until the result of the third series has been announced which authorises the successful men to call themselves M.A. or Doctor, as the case may be. Probably, in order to encourage the candidates, the number of those who shall be allowed to compete for the second series will be ten times the number usually allowed in former examinations, while the limit for the third series will be three times larger than those of former days. With reference to the examinations for licentiates (Hsiutsai) they are to take place twice a year, before the Literary Chancellor; the students in the first or preliminary examinations to be practised in essay writing on history'and modern politics and present-day state of affairs throughout the world. In the second or final examin: licentiate or B.A. degree the above the candidates will be required to write an essay each on subjects culled from the Confucian Analects and the Five Classics. The Emperor heartily commends the above recommendations of Viceroy Chang and Governor Chen and commands the Board of Rites to inform the literati of the whole empire of the new order examinations fired in the future.
In a posteript to the above-noted decree his Majesty remarks that without doubt fine and beautifully executed penmanship is a good thing, but it is useless for practical purposes. Hence, in future examinations, no weight is to be given to fine penmanship in essays, which in former examinations used to go so long a way towards assisting candidate to gethisdegrees. But not to entirely throw it into disuse, promise is extended to those who have fine penmanship that when such is required a special edict will be issued for an examination of fine caligraphists to fill certain posts in the government requiring this accomplishment.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.