从“七史”《选举志》讨论科举制的几个问题

Issues Concerning Imperial Examination System According to Electoral History from Seven Histories

通过"二十五史"中"七史"《选举志》了解科举制的基本演变趋势,弄清科举制研究中的某些问题,是科举学研究不可或缺的内容。本文根据"七史"《选举志》的内容和相关记载,指出各志篇卷虽不尽同,但都因循《旧五代史.选举志》之例分为"贡举"、"铨选"两大基本部分;重点考察了科举科目由繁而简、学校越益重要的演变趋势;深入讨论了一些有过争议的问题,如科举与察举、科举制定义、进士科创建时间、进士科利弊与废置等。

A study of the imperial examination system requires the clarification of some of the issues and an understanding of the basic transformational tendency of the system based on the study of Electoral History from Seven Histories in the Twenty-five Histories. This article, according to the content and record in Elec- toral History from Seven Histories, points out that although the sections and chapters are not the same, all the Electoral History from Seven Histories consists of ＂recommendation＂ and ＂election＂ parts; it also examines the tendency from the complicated to the simple examination subjects and the more and more important status of schools; it further discusses some disputing issues such as imperial examination system and observational selecting official method, the definition of imperial examination system, the time of the foundation of the highest imperial examination system, its advantages and disadvantages and its final abolition.