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Did the tri-regionalised examination paper system promote regional equity in Ming dynasty's national-level imperial examinations?

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Title: Did the tri-regionalised examination paper system promote regional equity in Ming dynasty's national-level imperial examinations?
Authors: Sun, Yiyuan (AUTHOR), Li, Muzhou (AUTHOR)
Source: Oxford Review of Education. Aug2026, Vol. 52 Issue 4, p554-577. 24p.
Subjects: Ming dynasty, China, 1368-1644, Gini coefficient, Test design, Social justice, Test interpretation
Abstract: This study investigates whether the tri-regionalised examination paper system of the Ming dynasty's national-level imperial examinations (keju) contributed to regional equity. Using the ancient Chinese keju system as an example, it discusses whether examinations promote social equity from a global perspective in terms of whether they ultimately exacerbate social inequity, whether the root cause of inequity lies in the examinations themselves or other factors, and how to evaluate their impact on social equity. The geographical information of 21,452 jinshi (successful candidates from the palace examination) from 88 keju sessions during the Ming dynasty were collected using the Dagum Gini coefficient and independent samples t-test. Based on an analysis of historical records and data, this study concluded the following: (1) The keju system promoted regional equity. (2) The inequalities observed in the keju system were not fundamentally caused by the examinations themselves but rather by the long-term accumulation of inequalities in natural and social resources. Whether examinations facilitate or hinder social equity ultimately depends on the design of the examination system. (3) Equity is a relative concept, and it is impractical to discard examinations based entirely on a single standard. At present, examinations remain an essential tool for promoting social equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Oxford Review of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sun%2C+Yiyuan%22">Sun, Yiyuan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Muzhou%22">Li, Muzhou</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Oxford+Review+of+Education%22">Oxford Review of Education</searchLink>. Aug2026, Vol. 52 Issue 4, p554-577. 24p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ming+dynasty%2C+China%2C+1368-1644%22">Ming dynasty, China, 1368-1644</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gini+coefficient%22">Gini coefficient</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+design%22">Test design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+justice%22">Social justice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Test+interpretation%22">Test interpretation</searchLink>
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  Data: This study investigates whether the tri-regionalised examination paper system of the Ming dynasty's national-level imperial examinations (keju) contributed to regional equity. Using the ancient Chinese keju system as an example, it discusses whether examinations promote social equity from a global perspective in terms of whether they ultimately exacerbate social inequity, whether the root cause of inequity lies in the examinations themselves or other factors, and how to evaluate their impact on social equity. The geographical information of 21,452 jinshi (successful candidates from the palace examination) from 88 keju sessions during the Ming dynasty were collected using the Dagum Gini coefficient and independent samples t-test. Based on an analysis of historical records and data, this study concluded the following: (1) The keju system promoted regional equity. (2) The inequalities observed in the keju system were not fundamentally caused by the examinations themselves but rather by the long-term accumulation of inequalities in natural and social resources. Whether examinations facilitate or hinder social equity ultimately depends on the design of the examination system. (3) Equity is a relative concept, and it is impractical to discard examinations based entirely on a single standard. At present, examinations remain an essential tool for promoting social equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Oxford Review of Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03054985.2025.2517080
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        Text: English
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        PageCount: 24
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      – SubjectFull: Ming dynasty, China, 1368-1644
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gini coefficient
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      – SubjectFull: Test design
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      – SubjectFull: Social justice
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              Text: Aug2026
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