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RICHARD J. SMITH
process. Ch'i's view was that by seeking "genuine scholarship," badly-needed military talent might be secured for the defense of the dynasty.' His proposal was blocked however — undoubtedly in part because Ch'i fell out of favor as a negotiator with the British, but also because the proposal itself was so revolutionary in spirit.
In late 1851, the censor Wang Mao-yin resurrected Ch'i's innovative proposal. His memorial, dated November 11, stated baldly that "for seeking talent within the examination system, there is nothing better than Ch'i Kung's five categories to encourage scholars to study military affairs." The memorial was forwarded by the emperor to the Board of Rites for deliberation, but Wang's suggestion regarding the reform of the examination was not approved, on grounds that Chinese scholars were men of breadth and “need not be specialists" (pu-pi chuan-men ming chia),16 Once again Ch'i's proposal died a swift death. It had no other prominent advocates.
Several more years passed, during which time Wang Mao-yin attained the rank of senior vice-president of the Board of War. In the midst of both the "Arrow War" negotiations and the Taiping Rebellion, Wang again memorialized the throne (July 9, 1858), once more requesting meaningful military reform. Making pointed reference to the abortive proposals put forward by Ch'i Kung and himself over the past decade and a half, Wang suggested that they might now be reconsidered together with the policy of recommendation (pao-chi) as a means of recruiting badly needed military talent. He did not mince words. Reminding the throne that many of China's best military commanders were not in fact products of the examination system, he went on to criticize the appointment of imperial relatives to positions of military responsibility, and the throne's tendency to place military affairs in the hands of officials schooled only in essay-writing, poetry, and other literary skills. He ended with a highly moralistic appeal for self-cultivation (hsiu-shen) on the part of the emperor, replete with quotations from the Shu-ching and Ta-hsüeh, but his proposals fell on deaf ears,17 Wang retired from office within months of writing this bold but fruitless memorial.
Efforts to reform or abolish the nearly useless military examinations met with no more success than this. During the Hsien-feng emperor's reign, a number of officials advocated changes in the outdated system, including dispensing with the military examinations
18
RICHARD J. SMITH
process. Ch'i's view was that by seeking "genuine scholarship," badly-needed military talent might be secured for the defense of the dynasty.' His proposal was blocked however — undoubtedly in part because Ch'i fell out of favor as a negotiator with the British, but also because the proposal itself was so revolutionary in spirit.
In late 1851, the censor Wang Mao-yin resurrected Ch'i's inno- vative proposal. His memorial, dated November 11, stated baldly that "for seeking talent within the examination system, there is nothing better than Ch'i Kung's five categories to encourage scholars to study military affairs." The memorial was forwarded by the emperor to the Board of Rites for deliberation, but Wang's sugges- tion regarding the reform of the examination was not approved, on grounds that Chinese scholars were men of breadth and “need not be specialists" (pu-pi chuan-men ming chia),16 Once again Ch'i's proposal died a swift death. It had no other prominent advocates.
Several more years passed, during which time Wang Mao-yin attained the rank of senior vice-president of the Board of War. In the midst of both the "Arrow War" negotiations and the Taiping Rebellion, Wang again memorialized the throne (July 9, 1858), once more requesting meaningful military reform. Making pointed re- ference to the abortive proposals put forward by Ch'i Kung and himself over the past decade and a half, Wang suggested that they might now be reconsidered together with the policy of recommenda- tion (pao-chi) as a means of recruiting badlyneeded military talent. He did not mince words. Reminding the throne that many of China's best military commanders were not in fact products of the examination system, he went on to criticize the appointment of imperial relatives to positions of military responsibility, and the throne's tendency to place military affairs in the hands of officials schooled only in essay-writing, poetry, and other literary skills. He ended with a highly moralistic appeal for self-cultivation (hsiu-shen) on the part of the emperor, replete with quotations from the Shu- ching and Ta-hsüeh, but his proposals fell on deaf ears,17 Wang retired from office within months of writing this bold but fruitless memorial.
Efforts to reform or abolish the nearly useless military examina- tions met with no more success than this. During the Hsien-feng emperor's reign, a number of officials advocated changes in the out- dated system, including dispensing with the military examinations
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