宋代的童子举

The Imperial Examination of Childhood in the Song Dynasty

童子举起源于汉代从童子中选拔人材的制度 ,唐代成为科举制度的一部分。宋代童子举虽几次停罢 ,但多数时间都得到实行 ,且在南宋中期较为制度化。童子举的选拔程序为州郡推荐、国子监初试、中书省复试、皇帝亲试。考试内容以背诵儒经为主 ,兼及诗赋等。正式录取为授官、赐出身 ,另有免解、赏赐绢帛等奖励办法。宋代在校学生、女子、宗室外戚中也实施了童子举。宋代童子举对当时文化发展、人材选拔起了一定的积极作用 ,但由于过于偏重死记硬背和脱离社会实际 ,所以未能达到预期效果。宋代童子举失败的教训多于成功的经验 。

The imperial examination of childhood played an important role in the Song Dynasty. It originated in the Han Dynasty and became a part of the imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty. Although stopped several times, the imperial examination of childhood practiced most of the time in the Song Dynasty and was institutionalized in the middle of the South Song Dynasty. It had some good influence on the cultural development and the selection of the talents on the one hand, and did not reach the expected achievements on the other, due to its stress on rote and isolation from social reality. There were more lessons of failure than the experiences of success in the imperial examination of childhood in the Song Dynasty and the understanding of them are useful to the early intellectual development of the contemporaries.