山西进士与藏书

山西历代进士共有3703人,地域分布很不均匀。还有一个现象值得注意,就是一门及第情况很多,除了经济文化原因以外,更重要的原因就是家学渊源的影响。要想科举成功,就得刻苦读书,进士都是从书堆里爬进仕途的,许多进士本身也是藏书家。根据有关文献统计,从隋唐到清朝的山西藏书家中有二分之一为进士,这充分说明藏书和科举有很密切的关系。

People from Shanxi Who Became Jinshi and Their Book Collection

There were altogether 3703 people from Shanxi who became Jinshi through the past dynasties in ancient China. Jinshi in English is the successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations. From the study of statistics the author finds out 2 features which deserve our attention. The first feature is their uneven regional distribution and the second is the fact that there were quite many cases of so-called "more than one jinshi from just the same big family". In addition to the econmic and cultural resons the more important reason should be the influence of the long tradition of family learning. If anyone of that time wanted to be successful in the highest imperial examinations, he had to peruse a great number of books diligently and persistently. The course of all the successful candidates was nothing but through perusing the piles of books to enter official career. Many Jinshi themselves were collectors of books. Based on the statistical study of the relevant data, the author finds out that half of the famous book collectors in Shanxi from the Sui-tang Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty became Jinshi. This phenomenon eloquently proves the close relationship between book collection and success in passing the highest imperial examinations in different dynasties in China.