How to Pass the Exams

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Since the seventh century, millions if not billions of Chinese men (and, in extremely rare cases, women) shared a dream: to pass the civil service examinations. The exam shaped both the literati world and popular culture of imperial China and still influence Chinese society today. This course gives you a chance to learn the basic texts of the exams (i.e. certain Confucian schools) and a minor dose of the exam-taking experiences. More importantly, it focuses on the dynamic and evolving interactions between the exam system and its curriculum (certain Confucian schools) and politics, culture, and the experiences and struggles of exam-takers and their families. At the same time, this course aims to introduce common digital humanities tools in historical studies. Throughout the course, you will learn text analysis, text analysis, georeferencing, geocoding, and other skills that pave the way for developing your own digital humanities skill set for your own research. No coding experiences are expected.