China, Imperial Examinations and Related Papers (Han Yu-shan Collection) - FamilySearch Historical Records

China

What Is In This Collection?
This collection includes records from 1646-1904. It is a collection of palace examinations from the Han Yu-shan Collection of the East Asian Library at UCLA, Los Angeles, California. Han Yu-shan was a professor in the History Department at the university.

Until 1905 Imperial China used civil service examinations to select candidates for government jobs. The exams tested knowledge of classical literature and Confucianism texts. Although the exams were open to all Chinese men, usually only wealthy families had the time and money to devote to studying for the exams. There were four levels of the exam, each one promoting the test taker in social class and eligibility for government jobs.

Reading These Records
These records are written in Chinese. For translation help, see the section For Help Reading These Records.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
There are nine record types included in this collection.


 * Palace examinations (with names)


 * Anonymous palace examinations


 * Palace examinations (by subject)


 * Palace poetry examinations


 * Palace Manchu language examinations


 * Academy examinations


 * Miscellaneous examinations


 * Palace military examinations


 * Imperial edicts and manuscripts

These materials may contain the following information:


 * Given name


 * Family name


 * Generation name


 * Birth year


 * Chinese birth year


 * Birth place


 * Examination year


 * Father/grandfather/great-grandfather's names

How Do I Search the Collection?
This section contains tips and information about how to search the record and use the information you find. Translation resources are also included. You can search the index or view the images or both. Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:


 * Your ancestor's given name and family name.

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the 

Select Record Type

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

For Help Reading These Records
These records are in Chinese. For help with reading the records, see the following resources:


 * Wikipedia: Chinese Language


 * Wikipedia: Chinese Characters


 * Chinese Kinship Terms Table


 * Western-Chinese Calendar Converter

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use a Western-Chinese Calendar Converter to change the birth year from the Chinese year to the equivalent western year
 * Look for a patriarchal line (father, grandfather, great-grandfather) and use this information to extend your pedigree
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may also be listed.

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.

Collection citation:

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