Imperial Examination Student of Nanjing

✦ Your Soul Summary ✦

You took the imperial examinations four times, passing the lowest level on the second attempt and the provincial level on the fourth, at the age of thirty-one. The years of study required the memorization of thousands of classical texts and the ability to compose essays in a form so rigidly prescribed that a misplaced character could disqualify an otherwise excellent answer. Your family had pooled their savings to support you during this period, and you were aware of this every morning when you sat down to study, which was both motivating and crushing.