32 cm (vertical) × 26.1 cm (horizontal)
Even in the early 20th century, many scholars in Qing China were still fervently preparing for the imperial examination. However, following one particular examination, they suddenly realized that they had become the last cohort to bid farewell to a system that had lasted for over a millennium.
In 1904, in celebration of Empress Dowager Cixi’s (1835–1908) 70th birthday, the Qing government held a special imperial examination session known as the “Jiachen Enke Examination.” The metropolitan examination took place at the Henan Examination Hall in late April, followed by the court examination that took place at the Hall of Preserving Harmony (in the Forbidden City) on July 4. In the following year (1905), in response to growing calls for reform, the imperial examination system was officially abolished, making the Jiachen Enke Examination the last of its kind. The candidate list for this final examination is bound in yellow silk and meticulously documents the examination staff, their roles, the examination questions, and the names of the 276 candidates who successfully passed the examination.
This candidate list not only marks the end of the imperial examination system but also reflects a rapidly changing era. The examination questions, in addition to traditional historical essays, included topics on Japan’s 19th century Meiji Restoration, Egypt’s reforms, and the U.S. Chinese Exclusion Act—showcasing the Qing dynasty’s concerns about global changes and its own precarious position. Many of these final examinees continued to play significant roles during the political transitions that followed. Notably, Tan Yankai (1880–1930), who came in first place in the metropolitan examination, later became the Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China (1927) and the first Premier of the Executive Yuan (1928).