There are gold mines and beauties in books if you read them hard, says Chinese saying. It means a successful scholar will always be rewarded and this motivation has been a driving force behind Chinese students for thousands of years.

The roots of China's examination system can be traced to the Shang Dynasty (1600-1046 BC) when education was the privilege of an elite few and was designed to produce government officials.

Later, the examination curriculum centered on the so-called "six arts": Rites, Music, Archery, Chariot-Riding, History, and Mathematics, based on the teachings of Confucius (551-479 BC). During the whole Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), of the 670,000 people who sat the exam, only 6,700 people passed. During the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the ratio improved to one in 15.

The success of applicants improved slightly during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), however still less than 10 percent of applicants passed.

Historians say the imperial civil service examination system in the late 10th century gave rise to great debate and discussion about literature, philosophy, government, and art. Imperial or civil service examinations were used to select imperial officers.

Exams included essay questions that tested the candidate's understanding of Confucius' teachings. However only a small minority passed the exams. In 1905 the civil service examination system was dismantled.

Source: China Daily