Housed inside a Confucian temple surrounded by gardens, this fascinating exhibition shows how the Imperial Examination System, which lasted for 1,300 years – from the Sui Dynasty in 605 to its abolition near the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1905, selected the most suitable candidates to enter the state’s bureaucracy. You’ll also learn that cheating in exams is not a modern phenomenon: on display are the silk and linen vests worn by examination sitters that are covered with neatly written answers and hints.
