Research On Jiangxi Scholars Family Of Ming Dynasty

The imperial examination system was considered as the most important one inthe talent selection of China, which was initiated in Sui and Tang dynasties andpeaked between Ming and Qing dynasties, provided countless talented people amongall Chinese dynasties. What is more, as the result of the imperial examination system,the advanced scholar has become the focus of academic research because of itsimportant social influence. This paper studies the advanced scholar who was born inJiangxi Province during the Ming dynasty and introduces the concept of the advancedscholar family. Moreover, on the basis of previous research achievements and thepresent condition of the history of Jiangxi, this paper defines the scope of the notionof the advanced scholar family in Jiangxi Province during the Ming dynasty, whichmeans only those families who had two or more advanced scholars including brotherswithin four-generation can be seen as the advanced scholar family. Therefore, afterunderstanding this concept, the paper discusses the following five aspects of theadvanced scholar family in Jiangxi during the Ming dynasty.First of all, accounting the number of the advanced scholar family in Jiangxiduring the Ming dynasty. According to the records of the people who were theadvanced scholars in the Ming dynasty and the records of the people whose surnamesare different but all derived from the same original one as well as the verification ofthe historical materials of local chronicles of Jiangxi, it can be concluded that thereare121advanced scholar families and303advanced scholars in Jiangxi during thatperiod.Second, the spatial and temporal distribution of the advanced scholar family inJiangxi during the Ming dynasty. The question of analysis the spatial and temporaldistribution of the imperial talents is always eternally renewed. Based on thegeographic distribution of the advanced scholar in the Ming dynasty, we can analyzethe regional distribution characteristic of the advanced scholar family. While theanalysis of time is mainly focus on the continuity and discontinuity of the advancedscholar family.Third, the basic characteristic of the advanced scholar family in Jiangxi during the Ming dynasty. The economic characteristic is rarely mentioned in the previousresearch. However, it has no effect on its importance in the imperial examination. Inaddition, the educational characteristic of the advanced scholar family in the Mingdynasty was shown on the idea of their clan. That is to say one person can be theteacher as well as the friend to another at the same time and vice versa. Furthermore,the particular family characteristic in the Ming dynasty was also reflected in itsimperial characteristic.Fourth, the contribution of the advanced scholar family. This paper is analyzethose who were advanced scholar themselves and came from the advanced scholarfamily at the same time that have already achieved political status together with theiradministrative characteristics and circulated literary works from both the political andthe cultural aspects.Finally, the case study. Combine both the basic characteristic and thecontribution of the advanced scholar family in Jiangxi during the Ming dynasty, thefamily of Fei is being chosen as a case to analyze and discuss the full process of theadvanced scholar family from prosperity to decline.