What are the names of the first prize, the second prize and the flower exploration in the imperial examination? Why do you call them that?

As we all know, the top three in ancient examinations were: champion, champion and flower exploration. Is that what the top three exams are called? This is obviously not. At that time, only the top three before the palace exam called it that. Unlike today, we can say that the number one in the college entrance examination in a province is the number one in a county. The champion is the first in the country, the first in the province and the first in the county. In ancient times, it was not called the champion. So how did these names come from?

First of all, champion

The number one scholar refers to the first place in the ancient imperial examinations. Since the imperial examination, there have been 649 champions, almost equal to the number of emperors in China feudal society. It is really a dragon and phoenix among people. This is also the dream of many scholars. The champion calls himself? Dakui tianxia? , is the highest honor for readers.

The imperial examination has gone through four levels of selection, namely, the boy test, the township test, the general test and the palace test. Those who pass the boy's exam are called scholars. After having obtained the provincial examination, the applicants are collectively referred to as juren, and the first name is Xie Yuan. Juren is eligible to take the exam. Generally, only 300 outstanding candidates are admitted. They are collectively called Gong, and the first place in the senior high school entrance examination is Hui Yuan. Gong Shi is qualified to take the palace entrance examination presided over by the emperor himself. The elite who are admitted are collectively referred to as Jinshi. Gong Kao entered the top three. The first one is for Jinshi and, the second one is for Jinshi origin, and the third one is for Jinshi origin. The first class is the champion, the second is the second, and the third is the flower exploration.

The word number one scholar first appeared in the Tang Dynasty. After the court examination in the Tang Dynasty, the examiner should submit the candidates' admission files to the provincial capital, which will write the admission list and candidates' files into a complaint and report it to the emperor. In such a report document, the first location is called. Shape an avatar? This was an official title at that time. Later, I didn't know which emperor it was. I didn't think it sounded elegant, so I changed it to the number one scholar. This is the origin of the word number one scholar.

Second, the second place

The second place is the second place in palace examination and the first place in the Tang Dynasty. The second place was rarely mentioned before the Song Dynasty. Only during the Northern Song Renzong period? Second place? The title of. The Northern Song Dynasty was a cultural heyday, and a large number of celebrities appeared in Song Renzong period. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is best to use some unique words to call the court examination.

In Song Renzong's time, the imperial examination was the top scholar, but the second and third place were both called the second place. The title of the third flower exploration came later. Because the imperial examination system has different ways in different dynasties, there are different titles for ranking. The name of the second place has also changed. Wu Zetian was the first person to take the court exam. Since then, palace examination has become the highest-level examination in the imperial examination. Zhu Yuanzhang established the system of taking stereotyped writing of scholars, which became an official title in the Ming Dynasty and continued until the demise of the Qing Dynasty.

Third, explore flowers

Tan Hua tied for third place with the top scholar and the top scholar? Sandingjia? . The word "flower exploration" first appeared in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, it didn't mean the third place in palace examination, but a joke. In the Tang Dynasty, after students entered high school, there were celebrations. One of the activities is to go to the garden, and they will choose two people from Shuai Shuai as flower-spotters among the admitted Jinshi. Pick flowers along the way, recite poems and greet the champion with flowers.

After the Tang dynasty, the garden activities did not continue, and the flower-exploring lang disappeared. After the Tang Dynasty, after five dynasties and ten countries, great changes have taken place in the Song Dynasty, Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty and imperial examination system. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that the top three in palace examination were really called the top three, the second and the flower exploration as official titles.