My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 382 Question
Lü Diaoyang first set two topics from the Four Books.

Having been elected as Vice President, Lü Diaoyang's Confucian scholarship was undoubtedly excellent. After he finished discussing the first two topics, everyone nodded in approval. Just as Lü Diaoyang was about to discuss the third topic, Zhang Juzheng said:
"Lord Lü, let others speak as well."

Lu Diaoyang's face flushed slightly. He had already given two questions, so he couldn't give any more and gave up the opportunity.

Su Ze had no interest in showing off. The eight-legged essay based on the Four Books and Five Classics had been used in examinations since the early Ming Dynasty and was already the most examination-oriented essay among examination essays.

There's no question of skill or lack thereof when setting these kinds of questions; it's just about satisfying the vanity of scholars.

One of the examiners from the Ministry of Rites was singled out by Zhang Juzheng, who gave him a question, and then the questions on the Five Classics followed.

The Five Classics are elective courses, meaning that four questions will be asked for each of the Five Classics.

Now Su Ze couldn't escape either. There weren't many scholars who studied the Book of Changes to begin with, and among those present, only he and another senior scholar were experts in the Book of Changes.

Su Ze could only share half with the other party, so each of them presented two questions.

Before coming to the examination hall, Su Ze had already studied the examination questions from previous dynasties.

He recorded it using the "Memory Pancake" method and also kept all the taboos firmly in mind.

There are many taboos associated with setting questions in the Book of Changes.

First, the two hexagrams "Qian" and "Kun" are prohibited from being used.

Qian and Kun represent the extremes of heaven and earth, and are often used to refer to emperors and empresses. Therefore, using the Qian and Kun hexagrams as the subject of a question would be considered presumptuous.

In addition, the emperor's name and reign title must be avoided.

In addition, questions based on the Book of Changes must include a single line statement, meaning it must be a complete line without any breaks or interruptions across lines.

There is also a word limit; it must be between six and nine sentences.

This makes setting questions based on the I Ching extremely difficult.

In addition, Zhang Juzheng was the chief examiner this time, and the questions he set had to suit his taste.

Several examiners had previously set questions, but Zhang Juzheng rejected them.

Su Ze thought for a moment, and finally said:
"A great man transforms into a tiger, yet he has not yet gained trust."

Zhang Juzheng showed an appreciative expression and said:
"Zilin, tell me, how do we break this argument?"

Su Ze knew that this question had hit the nail on the head for Zhang Juzheng, so he began to solve it.

Creating questions is easy, but solving them is difficult. Once you create a question, you also need to provide other examiners with evaluation criteria.

Everyone present was a scholar, and they all looked at Su Ze, listening to his explanation.

Su Ze said:

"The great man transforms like a tiger, yet there is no sign of trustworthiness. The great man refers to the ruler, the fifth line of the hexagram, Your Majesty."

"When the tiger transforms, it should be broken and the system reformed by a wise ruler."

The highest interpretation of the theme is: "When the emperor is in the rightful position, no subject can usurp his power; only the sage ruler can hold the reins of power."

At this, Zhang Juzheng clapped his hands in praise:

"Zilin is a great talent!"

The title "Su Ze" comes from the "Ge" hexagram in the Book of Changes, which naturally aligns with Zhang Juzheng's reform proposals.

Su Ze's interpretation of the hexagram was a common practice among reform-minded ministers throughout history: blaming the emperor for the reforms, using the monarch's name to justify the reforms, and avoiding accusations from powerful ministers.

Su Ze then stated his grading criteria:
"Those who merely interpret the meaning of the scriptures and do not involve political reform should be considered above average."

"Those that allude to the political situation should not be included."

"Those who associate themselves with celestial phenomena and prophecies shall be stripped of their official titles and honors."

Zhang Juzheng nodded repeatedly and said:
"Zilin's suggestion is detailed; let's leave it at that."

This is the daily life of an examiner in the Ming Dynasty. The questions they set had so many taboos, and they also had to consider the thoughts of the emperor and the chief examiner. It was really too difficult!
Among the examiners present, only a few of their questions were approved by Zhang Juzheng. Many people submitted three or four questions in a row, but none of them were adopted by Zhang Juzheng.

However, Zhang Juzheng did not oppose questions indiscriminately; he could point out the inappropriateness of the questions set by the other party.

Indeed, those who could become the Grand Secretary in the Ming Dynasty were all quite academically accomplished.

However, Zhang Juzheng's mind was on politics, and he did not write books or make academic achievements.

Su Ze's friend Shen Shixing also came up with a question that was adopted by Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Siwei's question was also quite good, and Zhang Juzheng praised him and adopted it.

From this perspective, the current struggle between Gao and Zhang is still limited to the cabinet.

After compiling the titles of the Four Books and Five Classics, the title of the "Imperial Edict" was also quickly determined.

Finally, we arrived at the policy question.

The meeting had been going on for two hours, and Su Ze's head was already spinning, but he forced himself to stay alert because this was the most important part of the imperial examination.

Zhang Juzheng stroked his beard and said:

"The topic of this policy question was personally set by His Majesty. Someone, please bring His Majesty's imperial inscription."

An exquisite brocade box was brought out, and Zhang Juzheng opened the sealed box in front of everyone, revealing a piece of colored gold-flecked paper used exclusively by the emperor.

"Duke Zhou subdued the barbarians and drove away the fierce beasts, bringing peace to the people."

As expected, the topic is still about reform.

This is a passage from Mencius.

The context is:

“In the past, Yu controlled the flood and the world was at peace; the Duke of Zhou pacified the barbarians and drove away the fierce beasts and the people were at ease; Confucius completed the Spring and Autumn Annals and the rebellious ministers and traitors were afraid.”

Su Ze sighed inwardly.

Zhang Juzheng's reforms were somewhat radical.

The crux of the Ming Dynasty's problems was far more than just a matter of finance and taxation.

Forcibly implementing the Single Whip Law could solve the financial problems, but if the fundamental nature of the Ming Dynasty is not changed, good laws will eventually degenerate into bad laws.

The disagreement between Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong lay in the question of who came first.

Zhang Juzheng believed that reforming the fiscal and taxation system first would give the court money, which would then allow for subsequent reforms.

However, Gao Gong believed that institutional reforms should be carried out first, followed by reforms to the fiscal and tax system, which is related to people's livelihoods.

Su Ze still prefers the high arch.

Although Zhang Juzheng's reforms appeared to be spectacular, they did not actually penetrate deeply into the bureaucratic system.

The imperial court acquired substantial financial resources but failed to implement further reforms or establish corresponding accountability mechanisms.

Local residents resented the imperial court for collecting large amounts of taxes but not doing any work, while the imperial court felt that the local residents' failure to meet their targets was due to tax evasion.

Su Ze sighed.

Zhang Juzheng was an administrative genius.

Overseeing a nationwide fiscal and tax reform involves an enormous amount of work; it's definitely not something that can be accomplished with just a few decrees.

Are there any local officials engaging in shady practices? We need to get local governments to push for reforms, but we also can't allow radical political opportunists to fabricate their achievements.

Reward officials who perform well and punish officials who perform poorly.

Let the right officials go to the right places to serve.

Each of the two capitals and thirteen provinces has its own unique circumstances and will encounter different difficulties. The question is how to resolve these difficulties.

These things gave Su Ze a headache just thinking about them.

In fact, if Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong could have joined forces, with Zhang Juzheng in charge of fiscal and tax reforms and Gao Gong in charge of official reforms, it might have been better for the Ming Dynasty.

However, both of them were too rigid and unwilling to let others lead the change.
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Zhang Yuanbian entered the examination hall.

Zhang Yuanbian was from Shaoxing, Zhejiang.

Zhang Yuanbian's father, Zhang Tianfu, once served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Yunnan Provincial Surveillance Commission, but he was defeated in a campaign to quell a rebellion. Because he had previously clashed with Yan Song, he was imprisoned and punished by the Jiajing Emperor.

Zhang Yuanbian came to the capital and spent all his family fortune to rescue his father, which finally got him released from prison. After Zhang Tianfu passed away, Zhang Yuanbian spent the rest of his life in mourning before coming to the capital last year to prepare for the imperial examinations.

He and Xu Wei were from the same hometown, and through Xu Wei's introduction, he obtained a position as a field collector for the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper.

Zhang Yuanbian also contributed articles to the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper, which allowed him to barely make a living.

Zhang Yuanbian was very thin. After being checked by the gate guards, he was allowed into the examination hall.

After receiving the plaque, you enter your examination number. Then, a clerk will verify Zhang Yuanbian's identity and hang his plaque outside the examination area.

Immediately afterwards, Zhang Yuanbian saw two ministers dressed in vermilion official robes leading a group of civil officials over.

The only officials in the examination room were the chief and deputy examiners and the examiners.

Zhang Yuanbian immediately stood up, bowed, and paid his respects.

Among the crowd, a distinguished young official glanced at the sign next to Zhang Yuanbian's room, which displayed his name and place of origin.

This young official was none other than Su Ze.

Zhang Yuanbian, Su Ze used the [Memory Sachet] to recall the Ming Dynasty materials he had read, and Zhang Yuanbian seemed to be the top scholar in the undergraduate program.

Of course, he has changed too much of history, and he doesn't know if Zhang Yuanbian can still become the top student in his undergraduate program.

However, those who can become the top scorers in the exam must be truly capable.

Su Ze planned to pay more attention to the examinee named Zhang Yuanbian while proctoring the exam.

Su Ze continued to inspect the examination hall with Zhang Juzheng.

After Zhang Yuanbian and the others left, they began to organize the examination papers.

The cell was so cramped that you could barely turn around, and on that chilly early spring morning, the icy smell of the bricks and stones hit you.

Zhang Yuanbian tightened his worn blue cotton robe, deftly put down the examination basket, which contained only a few worn-out brushes and a piece of aged ink.

"Paper for tribute! One copper coin per sheet!"

The surrounding examinees all shouted to stop the peddler who was hawking his wares.

You couldn't bring your own manuscript paper into the examination hall, but you still needed drafts to write articles, so these clerks would sell some manuscript paper.

Of course, it wouldn't be appropriate to call it "selling" in the examination hall, so buying paper money was also called "tribute money," which was considered money offered to Confucius, the Great Sage.

Zhang Yuanbian took out three brass coins from his examination basket. He had made a living in the capital, and the writing materials for this exam were borrowed from his fellow townsman Xu Wei.

Zhang Yuanbian felt a pang of regret when he thought of this fellow townsman.

Xu Wei and Zhang Yuanbian were from the same hometown, and Zhang Yuanbian received Xu Wei's care when they were in the capital.

Xu Wei had originally passed the provincial examination and could have participated in the metropolitan examination this year.

However, his benefactor Su Ze was selected as a co-examiner, and Xu Wei gave up this imperial examination in order to avoid suspicion.

Zhang Yuanbian felt sorry for Xu Wei, but he also understood Xu Wei's decision to give up.

He carefully placed his only valuable Chengni inkstone on a small wooden board, which would be his place to settle down and make a living in the next nine days.

"Thump! Thump!" The heavy sound of the clapper broke the silence of the examination hall. Clerks filed in, distributing sealed examination papers and plain paper.

For the next few days, Zhang Yuanbian spent all his time answering questions.

When Su Ze was inspecting the examination rooms, he passed by Zhang Yuanbian's examination room several times.

It can only be said that the imperial examination was not only an academic test, but also a test of physical strength and perseverance.

In this very first exam, which consisted of answering questions about the Four Books and Five Classics, several candidates had to be carried out due to exhaustion.

This is only the first exam, and it's unknown how many candidates will be able to persevere until the final essay is completed.

Zhang Yuanbian waited until the last day of the Five Classics exam.

The clerks carried signs with the questions on the classics and walked back and forth in the examination hall.

Zhang Yuanbian also studied the Book of Changes.

He saw Su Ze's question.

"A great man transforms into a tiger, yet he has not yet gained trust."

Zhang Yuanbian gripped the pen tightly and quickly found the key to solving the problem.

During his time in the capital, he spent his days reading articles in the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper and also intensively studied Su Ze's collection of memorials.

He was well aware of the prevailing sentiment in the court that demanded reform.

"The transformation of a great man is like the tiger's might being newly adorned; is it merely for show? It is a divine transformation, with true faith residing within, and none in the world can fathom its nature..."

Zhang Yuanbian used the metaphor of "tiger transformation" to illustrate that reform and innovation are the natural order, and that under the weight of power, "trust" is even more necessary—to treat the world with impartiality and to act with integrity.

"Not having consulted the oracle" does not mean there is no doubt, but rather that, like the sun and moon traversing the sky, its light shines forth naturally, requiring no divination.

The initial premise was that "the new policy must prioritize public trust."

Trust means gaining the trust of the people. Zhang Yuanbian advocated that reforms must first persuade the people and form a consensus between officials and the people. Only in this way can reforms benefit the country and the people, rather than just benefiting one side.

February 15th, finally the last day of the imperial examination arrived.

Zhang Yuanbian's mental and physical strength had reached their limits.

He woke up in his cell; today was the final day for his policy discussion.

Zhang Yuanbian had already learned from Xu Wei about the importance of this year's policy essay, so he forced himself to stay focused and prepare for the final questions.

Zhang Yuanbian took a bite of the Sanbai cake first.

This is what candidates in the Imperial Examination Hall ate. It's a pastry made from rice flour, sugar, and salt. Because it doesn't easily cause diarrhea, it was a special food for the Imperial Examination Hall.

In addition, only a small amount of water will be provided in the examination room to reduce the number of candidates needing to use the restroom.

"Duke Zhou subdued the barbarians and drove away the fierce beasts, bringing peace to the people."

As expected, it's related to the reform movement again!

Zhang Yuanbian, quick-witted as ever, picked up his pen and swiftly wrote down the key point—

"Duke Zhou conquered the barbarians to expand the Chinese territory, and he was only pleased with the peace and stability of the state."

Zhang Yuanbian naturally supported the reform.

Thinking of his father's experience, his father lost his official position and died in depression because of the rebellion of the chieftains in Yunnan.

Before his death, his father was still concerned about the situation in Yunnan, which also influenced Zhang Yuanbian.

Unlike the views of ordinary scholar-officials, Zhang Yuanbian supported the expansion of China.

Of course, it would be very risky to write such a proposal in the imperial examination.

However, Zhang Yuanbian decided to answer the questions according to his own ideas.

Zhang Yuanbian wrote: "The glorious Han dynasty should encompass even the barbarians."

He then wrote three strategies for colonization and expansion in the southwest.

It was roughly about replacing local chieftains with centrally appointed officials, implementing Han-style education, and allowing people to live together and change their surnames.

That's how you answer policy questions. After you've broken down the topic, how you answer it depends on your personal insights and political views.

This is also why the Song Dynasty's imperial examinations emphasized policy essays, a point that was criticized by people in the Ming Dynasty.

This type of exam allows candidates to engage in political opportunism by studying political trends and writing policy essays.

The examiners can also use the topics to select the candidates they need.

Conversely, the eight-legged essay was a restricted writing style with a set of evaluation criteria, which is why people in the Ming Dynasty felt it was fairer.

After Zhang Yuanbian finished answering the questions, he finally handed in his paper.

(End of this chapter)