442 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



Elementary education was imparted to children in their homes by 

 tutors, or in small private schools, seldom exceeding twenty pupils. 

 There were no schools for girls, but a certain number were taught by 

 members of their own family. In China, as in America, much of the 

 teacher's reward had to l^e obtained from the dignity and honor of his 

 occupation, for the fees generally paid were small. There were no 

 requirements to be met by the teacher; any one might engage in the 

 occupation, neither was any curriculum nor books prescribed, except by 

 tradition. For the first four or five years the child devoted himself to 

 memorizing the classics, learning to recognize and pronounce the char- 

 acters, but without knowing their meaning, much as if a modern child 

 were required to commit the Iliad to memory without understanding 

 one word of it. Toward the end of the period the child was given a 

 translation of wliat he had learned, and taught a little writing and easy 

 composition. In this connection I can scarcely do better than quote 

 Pere L. Eichard : 



The whole system labored under serious disadvantages, resulted in a con- 

 siderable waste of time and had little educational value. The memory and 

 imitative powers were marvelously developed, but the mind was not stored with 

 valuable ideas nor trained in precision and accuracy, and there was an utter 

 lack of originality. 



Secondary education comprised the study of Chinese literature, and 

 history, the writing of liferary essays and stilted verses. When ready 

 the student might go up for examination. The first examination was 

 held yearly in tlie prefectural cities (which may be roughly likened to 

 county-seats) throughout the empire. The successful candidates 

 received the degree of hsiii-tsai, and were privileged to attend the 

 second examination held every third 3'ear in the provincial capitals. 

 The severity of the competition can be judged from the fact that where 

 from twelve to twenty thousand were examined, only about one hundred 

 would pass. These received the degree of chii-jen, and were allowed to 

 attend the examination at Peking, also held once in three j^ears. Here, 

 out of 6,000 candidates about 300 would pass and receive the degree of 

 chin-shih. These degrees are often compared to the B.A., M.A. and 

 Ph.D., but the comparison is totally misleading. The Chinese idea of 

 them is shown by the fact that in the modern system the first degree is 

 given grammar-school gradviates, the second to high school graduates, 

 and the third upon the completion of professional courses, such as law 

 or engineering. The criteria were skill in the composition of literary 

 essays, in which adherence to prescribed form was desired rather than 

 originality, and purely mechanical proficiency in writing the characters. 

 It will be seen at once that this was a system of elimination rather than 

 of education, and it is not remarkable that the educational results thus 

 obtained were comparatively barren. Prom this cause, and others too 



