Transplanting And Localization Of China's Keju In Vietnam

The imperial examination system (keju Zhidu) which lasted for more than 800 years in Vietnam after it became independent had a far-reaching influence on its history.An attempt is made in this dissertation to analyze the dissemination, evolution and trend of the Chinese culture in Vietnam by a comparative study between China's and Vietnam's imperial examination systems, and a study on the transplantation and localization of the imperial examination system in Vietnam, based on a large number of firsthand data collected in Vietnam and the documents concerned acquired at home. This dissertation may remedy a defect from historians at home and abroad in its field.In the Post Li Dynasty( 1428-1787), the feudal society in Vietnam was getting declined from its prosperous age. Also in the Li Dynasty, Vietnam followed Chinese institutions in the imperial examination for the selection of civil servants, establishing not only the exam subjects of Jinshi, Dongge, Mingjing, Hongci, Zhike, Sushuan, but also Vietnamese special subjects such as Shi-Taixuesheng, Shi-Rufodao-Sanjiao, Shiwangke, Shi-Guanyuannansun. Simultaneously, Vietnam set up the exam subjects for the selection of military officers. For the issues such as examinations by levels, examination schedules, test place construction, examination officer arrangement, examination rules, examination questions, admission, the very best scholars, memorial establishment and compilation of the examination documents, Vietnam not only followed Chinese institutions, but also transform them to adapt Vietnam's special situation and its national habits. The imperial examination system had been the key way for selecting talented persons and for upward social mobility of people in the Li Dynasty. By intimating the system of China, Vietnam had established a perfect education system including Shexue, Sishu, Xianxue, Fuxueand Guozijian. With teaching and learning aimed at passing the examination, the imperial examination and officer selection had provided opportunities for a lot of talented persons who were good at Confucianism and literature to enter the civil servant system and the educational system. Therefore, it had been an important factor affecting the social, historical and cultural development in Vietnam, promoting greatly the diffusion and the adaptation of Chinese culture (Confucianism, Chinese literature and history, and the civil servant system are included) in Vietnam.The distinct polices between the South and North Government of Zhengyuan (1558 -1787 )had resulted in different development levels of Chinese culture in the two regions. It can be found obviously the diffusion pattern of Chinese culture that it had strong influence in the North and the political centers of Vietnam, but weak in the South and the remote regions.