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1 results

  • 5 - The Imperial Examinations and Confucianism

  • Chenggang Xu, Stanford University, California
  • Book:
    Institutional Genes
    Published online:
    03 June 2025
    Print publication:
    26 June 2025, pp 163-201
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  • Summary

    This chapter explores the keju system – the imperial examination system, and Confucianism as essential components of imperial governance and societal structure in China, examining their origins, evolution, and impact on the development of China's imperial system. The keju system, which persisted from 124 bce to 1905 ce, served as an institutional gene that fused Confucian ideology with state governance, thereby solidifying the emperor’s absolute ideological dominance. It established a societal hierarchy and unconditional obedience that suppressed individual rights and paved the way for the introduction of totalitarianism. In contrast, the Church in Western Europe, while influential, preserved a clear separation from state functions.