I, the Empress Dowager Tze-hsi-tuan-ya, ete. have received a memorial from the Ministers of the Board of Rites dilating on the supreme importance of making it}known throughout the Empire that there are to be no changes from the old methods. of literary examinations among candidates for degrees, in order to set at rest, once for all, the present uncertainty that hes been caused by the Emperor's recent reform measures in that direction. Now, as the Empire has always prospered and flourished under the old regime and the methods of old, inaugurated and sanctioned' by the sacred ancestors of our dynasty, have attained the acme of excellence, there is indeed no necessity for making any changes in the curriculum of literary examinations hitherto obtaining; and I'therefore grant the request of the said Board. The said Board of Rites is accordingly commanded to notify all the Literary Examiners and Literary Chancellors throughout this Empire to follow henceforth, carefully and reverentially, all the old methods formerly appertaining, according to law, to the examinations of literary candidates for degrees, in order that the graduates thereof may all be of the uniform orthodox type as of old, [We commend this decree to those who contend that the Empress Dowager is roally a friend of progress.—Eb.]
MODERN SCHOOLS, T0 DE PERMITTED, The above-named Board' further memo-realises me asking that put a stop to the new studies ordered to be taught in provincial colleges and that these institutions revert to their old habits of instructing solely in the study of the Confucian Analects and the Five Classics. Now the object of colleges as institutions of learning is to teach solid and substantial branches of study and not solely fdr the instruction of old-time subjects. For instance, such subjects as astronomy, geography, military tactics, mathematics, etc, are modern requirements necessary for the country's welfare and as such within the province of students of literature to attain. Modern schoo's do not go beyond the instruous noted above and hence only differ in name from the present idea of collegiate instruction. They really have the same objects in view. In view of this, therefore, Isee no reason for putting 2 stop to the combination of modern schools of instruction with the colleges of the various provinces of the empire, nor should it be claimed that modern studies of importance ought not to be taught in the said colleges. Let this, therefore, be made known to all throughout this empire.
NEW APPOINTMENTS, Duke Tsai Jun is appointed Senior Vico-Director of Octroi at the Chungwén gate, and Fu Sen-pu is appointed Junior Vico-Director of the same, (Issued 14th instant.)
Peking, 16th November.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.