HAN-LIN-YUEN, the Imperial Academy of China, founded by Kablai Khan. For 600 years the - small body of Han-lin scholars have held their sessions undisturbed by dynastic revolutions or political outbreaks. No learned society in the world can compete with it in age or in its intense exclusiveness. The examinations being open to all:and forming as they do the only recognised channel to official rank, every man in the empire who aspires to end his days as something more than a plebeian, enters the lists. At the first com petition, which consists of five sessions separated by intervals of a few days each, and which is held annually in the chief city of each district, about 2000 candidates generally present themselves. Out of this number from 20 to 80 of the best are cluisen, and on these are conferred the degree of Siu-ts'ai, or budding genius.' Every third year the budding geniuses from every district in each province—and there may be 70 or 80—go to the provincial capital to appear before an im perial examiner as candidates for the next degree of Ku jin, or promoted scholars.' On this occasion 5000 or 6000 competitors contest the honour of being the one in each 100 who, as the ripest scholar, is admitted to the further degree of Ku jin. In company with all those who have won similar honours in the capital of the 18 pro vinces of the empire, the successful Ku jin goes, in the succeeding spring, to Pekin, where, if fortune attend he wins the distinction becoming a Tsin or one ready for office In agreement with this descriptive title, the ne Tsin shi may, if they please, ballot for the vacal junior mandarinates, for which they have no shown themselves qualified, and from which the may rise by their own exertions to seats in tl Grand Council of State, or to places in the in perial cabinet. But, if desirous of still forth distinguishing themselves as scholars, and obtaining the honour of places in the Imperi Academy, the 200 or 300 survivors of so mar contests present themselves at the palace, they are examined by the emperor in Out of this number about 20 are chosen who: scholarship is the ripest, whose penmanship is tl best, and whose literary style is the most perfec and to these are given seats among the Immorta of the Han-lin. On one only of these 20, chos<
out of the 300 million inhabitants of the empir la creme de la crime, is conferred the signal tit of Chwang-yuen, or model scholar of the empir Once in three years is this degree granted ; and 1 supreme is the prize, that provinces contend -ft it, and the birthplace of the victor becomes farm for ever. The instant that the imperial award given, heralds carry the news at express speed the friends of the laureate. We have, says D Martin, seen them enter a humble cottage, an amid the flaunting of banners and the blare trumpets, announce to its startled inmates th one of their relations had been crowned by ti emperor as laureate of the year. And so hig was the estimation in which the people held tl success of their fellow-townsman, that his wi was requested to visit the six gates of the cit. and to scatter before each a handful of rice, the the whole population might share in the goc fortune of her household.
Members of the Han-lin are appointed tl official poets and historians of the reigning dynast and every imperial compilation undertaken is tf work of these men. It was they who edited ti famous dictionary of the language which added lustre to the reign of K'ang-he (1661-1721), an who, at the bidding of the Emperor K'een-lur (1755-1795), compiled the celebrated encych pmdia in 5020volumes, one of the few existing copit of which is now in the library of the British Museur To act as examiners at the competitive examim tions, and as literary chancellors in the province form part also of their duties, as well as compca ing prayers for the use of the emperor on °cc< sions, writing inscriptions for the temples of varior divinities, in acknowledgment of services, an choosing honorific titles for members of the in perial household.