Wei And Jin Dynasties Of The Examination System Is Discussed

The merit system existed through Wei,Jin and Northen Dynasties. ShangJi systems, which was inherited from Han Dynasty and aimed mainly at the local officials, was still hard maintained. XunXing system (going on a tour of inspection) , which was an important form of the merit system, had dual effects of supervision and assessment. Especially in Northen Dynasty, in the course of the fedualization of XianBei nationality, the important role of XunXing was clearly recorded in historical books. In Weijin and Northen Dynasties, in order to adapt to the increasing militarization of ZhouJun political power, the merit system enlarged its targets by strengthening the assessment of the double-status officials.In the new situation, Wei, Jin and Northen Dynasties enforced a succession of merit law, attempting to strengthen the assessment of the officals at all levels and directing the system onto the legal track. In Cao Wei Dynasty, both the Emperor Weiming and Caofang instructed to make official assessment law. Yet, due to various reasons, Liushao's Assessment On Central Officials and Wangchang's Assessment On All Officials were not carried out. In West Jin Dynasty, the Emperor Jinwu instructed Duyu to draw up the official assessment law. But it wasn't implemented, either. In Northen Wei Dynasty, the merit system was characterized by numerous innovations and considerable achievements. The system in Northen Wei Dynasty inherited the advantages of previous Han nationality and was also mingled with the characteristics of nomadic peoples, so the official assessment laws could be formulated and promulgated during the terms of the Emperor Xiaowen and Xuanwu. However, due to the close relationship of its effects to the personal prestige of the emperor, the merit system was coercively enforced by the imperial force. Shortly afterwards, the system drifted into superficiality and was soon discarded. Nevertheless, the official assessment laws of Wei Jin and Northen Dynasties still bore far-reaching historical significance. Wei Jin and Northen Dynasties were important periods in which the merit system further developedon its way of legalization. That the merit system was legalized in this particular period could reflect a high level in its development course. Hence, it can be argued that the formulation of the official assessment laws were important events in the ancient Chinese history, and exerted a great influence on the development of the merit system later in Sui and Tang Dynasties.The standards and contents of assessment have gone through constant changes. What the emperor needed determined what the standard should be. Cao Wei Dynasty emphasized "ability" but ignored "morality". However in West Jin Dynasty, the Emperor Jinwu promulgated the Five-item Imperial Edict, part of which were connected with morality. In West Wei Dynasty, Suchuo drew up the Six-item Imperial Edict which also involved moral items. North Zhou Dynasty took a further step by applying Confucian standards to strengthen the assessment. All those reflected the increasing enhancement of moral components in the merit system, the reestablishment of orthodox ideas, and the clarification of national reunification tendency. So the merit system should include both ability and morality. Finally in Tang Dynasty, ability and morality were integrated together.