明代童试及生员中举率再探

Further Research on the Admission Rate of the Apprentice Examination in the Ming Dynasty

童试自明英宗正统元年创立以来,不但招收生员的人数不断增加,而且各项制度也不断完善,逐渐成为明代科举的重要组成部分。为满足读书应试人数不断增长的需求,在原有的招收廪生、增生的基础上,自正统十二年起始设附生之制。因附生录取无定额,生员人数急剧膨胀,其结果是生员的中举率与乡试的录取率都随着生员人数的增加而逐渐下降,这也凸显出了生员应试科举之路的艰难程度。

The apprentice examination(Tongshi),,ever since its establishment it was established in the 1st year of Zhengtong(1436 A.D.),its enrollment scale became more and more large,and its rules improved increasingly,and finally it became an important part of the imperial examination system.To meet the rising demand of increasing candidates in the 12th year of Zhengtong(1447 A.D.),besides the 'Linsheng(students who lives on government grants)'and the 'Zengsheng(added students)',the system of 'Fusheng(extra students)'was created.Because of the unlimited enrollment quota of 'Fusheng',the number of students increased sharply.As the result of it,the pass rate of the students in the provincial examination and the admission rate of the provincial examination became lower and lower.It also highlighted how difficult for the students to pass the imperial examination.