宋代状元研究 = A Study of Top Scholars (Zhuang Yuan) in the Chinese Civil_x005F_x000D_ Examinations of Song Dynasty

Abstract

The Chinese Civil Examination top scholars, better known as zhuang yuan (??) in Chinese, were a group of elites who had great influence in all aspects of the Song Dynasty (960-1279A.D). Although there were some researches performed on this group of elite, much of their information was not used to discuss issues such as social mobility or Tang-Song Transition. The main objective of this thesis is to explore the changing processes of the zhuang yuan?s geographical location of ancestry, family background & marriage network and their post appointments & promotion opportunities from Tang to Song Dynasty. It was found that there was a significant trend of population-shift south-ward from Northern Song to Southern Song. There was also a decreasing number of zhuang yuan from bureaucratic background. Social mobility in Song Dynasty was much higher. The Song zhuang yuan were a group of elites who were well-respected and valued by the Dynasty.