Chapter 19: Reflection of Later Generations
With the passage of time, later generations began to reflect on the pros and cons of the imperial examination system. They believed that although this system selected talent, it also had many problems.
The rigidity of the imperial examination system led to the waste of talent. Many talented people were buried because of examination failures, while some mediocre people succeeded due to luck. This phenomenon made people feel regrettable.
The singularity of the imperial examination system also limited people's development. In that era, only through the imperial examination could one obtain social status, and other pathways were ignored. This single development model hindered social progress.
Later generations also began to reflect on the corruption of officialdom. They believed that the lack of effective supervision mechanisms was the main cause of corruption. Without a perfect system, individual morality could hardly resist the temptation of power.
These reflections prompted people to think about how to reform. They hoped to establish a more fair and effective system so that everyone would have the opportunity to display their talents and society would become more progressive and prosperous.
Zhou Jin and Fan Jin's stories provided vivid cases for these reflections. Their experiences allowed people to see the drawbacks of the imperial examination system and also allowed people to see the power of individuals.