Page 206 - The Encyclopedia of Taoism v1_A-L

166 T H E ENCYCLO PE DIA OF TAOI SM VO L. I

of study because his scholars demonstrated clearly that it was a forgery. In a
decree of 743, he set a limit of three years for Taoist students to graduate, a
far more stringent limit than that set for those enrolled in the Directorate of
the Sons of State (Guozi jian ~ T i'i:) where instruction centered on the clas-
sics, histories and other fields and the maximum tenure was nine years. Those
in charge of capital schools and prefectural governors sent graduates of the
Chongxuan xue to the capital late in the year to compete in the examination
on Taoism during the following spring.
Until 754, the subjects for the Examination on Taoism were the same
four texts that served as the curriculum of the Chongxuan xue. In that year
Xuanzong dropped the Daode jing from the examination and replaced it with
the *Yijing. The format of the Examination on Taoism was the same as that
for the mingjing lW ~~ examination on Confucian classics. It had four parts.
First, candidates had to fill in passages that examiners had deleted from ten
quotations taken from each text. Four to five correct answers out of ten was
a passing mark. An oral examination followed. Third, the candidates had to
answer ten questions on the interpretation of the classics. Six satisfactory an-
swers was a passing mark. Finally, they wrote three essays on contemporary
problems. In a decree of 743 the emperor reduced the passing grades in the
Examination on Taoism to three or four for fill-ins and five for interpretative
questions. Apparently even that act of favor was insufficient to attract the
number of students that he desired. So in 748 he granted two further boons
to recruit men of Taoist learning. He authorized those with knowledge of
the four Taoist classics to recommended themselves, that is they could apply
directly to prefectural governors for permission to sit for the examination.
Candidates for other civil service examinations had to obtain a recommenda-
tion from local notables in their districts before they could apply. Xuanzong
also reduced the number of questions that graduates of the Examination on
Taoism had to answer on the Placement Examination (xuan ~) . The Place-
ment Examination was the final ordeal that graduates of all examinations
had to undergo before they received appointments to office. It evaluated the
candidates' character, eloquence, calligraphy, and judgment. By that act the
emperor apparently thought that Taoist studies would become a preferred
course for men seeking office.
In 743, Xuanzong changed the name of the Chongxuan xue in the capitals
to Chongxuan guan *Kiti (Institute for the Veneration of the Mystery) and
established posts at each for a Grand Academician (da xueshi * ~ ±). Tang
institutes were both schools and bodies of scholars who provided counsel to
the throne, executed research, and compiled literary collections. They were the
most prestigious educational and scholastic organs of the court. Consequently,
it was the custom of emperors to appoint the highest-ranking ministers to