Study On Superstition Of The Imperial Examination In Ming Dynasty

Superstition of the imperial examination means that people made farfetched comparison between natural or strange phenomena and imperial examination, ascribed the result of imperial examination to superstitious belief such as fate or spirits, and hoped to interfere with examination by superstitious methods. Superstition of the imperial examination in Ming dynasty broadly divided into the following categories: dream, omen, fate, spirits, geomantic omen, incantation and benefaction.Superstition of the imperial examination had existed since the Ming dynasty imperial examination system formal established, but its inundation began at middle periods of Ming dynasty. The VIP in superstitious story of the imperial examination were those people who succeeded in examination. This point corresponded with the centralize of Ming Dynasty 's official-selecting means after middle periods.The vogue of preference for imperial examination in Ming dynasty made the competition of imperial examination more severely, circulation system became more congested, and malpractice in examination inundated extensively. This conduced to the uncertainty of examination increased; scholars had no choice but to ascribe the result of imperial examination to superstitious belief such as fate or spirits for comforting their mentality, and tried to interfere with examination by superstitious methods, which led people's psychological and behavioral changes of imperial examination.