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Directly under the Ministry of Education, the new Zhejiang University is a key comprehensive university in China. In September 1998, a new Zhejiang University was established on the basis of the amalgamation of four formerly individual universities, namely Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University, all of which are located in the city of Hangzhou.

The university covers eleven branches of learning, namely philosophy, literature, history, education, science, economics, law, management, engineering, agriculture and medicine. The university now has 107 specialties for undergraduate studies and it is entitled to confer master's degrees in 225 programs and doctoral degrees in 138 programs. There are 11 national key laboratories, 2 national engineering research centers and 3 national engineering technology centers under the university. Besides, it has set up 24 national key specialties and 30 postdoctoral stations.

Endowed with a pleasant climate, picturesque surroundings and a favorable academic atmosphere, Zhejiang University is an ideal place for teaching, research, and learning. With six campuses, namely Yuquan, Xixi, Huajiachi, Hubin, Zhijiang, and Zijingang, the university now occupies a total area of 533 hectares and a floor space of 1,720,000 square meters. At present, the total number of full-time students has reached over 41,000 including 30,000 undergraduates, 8,000 postgraduates studying for master's degrees and 3,200 PhD candidates. There are also nearly 38,000 students taking courses in degree and non-degree programs in adult education. Among its over 9,000 faculty members and workers, there are 10 members of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 members of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, over 1,000 professors and 2,400 associate professors. With a total space of 58,000 square meters, the university library has a collection of more than 5,620,000 volumes of books. In addition, the university has 6 affiliated hospitals, which provide various kinds of medical services for people from all over Zhejiang Province.

The university is making good use of the opportunities brought by the amalgamation and will continue to give priority to education and research. It seeks to offer service to the nation's economic development, and to make every effort to build itself into an institution on a par with the first-class university in the world.

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The University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) is the only university under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Currently one of the nation's key comprehensive universities of sciences, engineering, management science and humanities, USTC was founded in Beijing in September 1958 under the presidential leadership of Dr. Guo Moruo.

In the early 1970s, the university moved to Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province. In July 1999, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ministry of Education and the People's Government of Anhui Province signed an agreement, deciding to provide joint support to the construction of USTC, so as to build it into a world-renown high level university during the early part of the 21st century.

USTC has a graduate school in Hefei and a management school in Beijing. In collaboration with the CAS Hefei branch, USTC has set up a higher research institute in Hefei. There are now 10 schools, 24 departments and the Special Class for the Gifted Young on the main campus. The university offers 40 undergraduate disciplines, 82 programs that confer master's degree (including programs for MBA, MPA and engineering students), and 73 programs that confer doctoral degree.

About 1,830 faculty members are now working in USTC (Hefei), among whom there are 14 academicians of the CAS or the Chinese Academy of Engineering Sciences (CAES), 476 professors (280 doctoral supervisors), 721 associate professors and 50 postdoctoral researchers. Young and middle-aged faculty members make up more than 80% of the total number. They are energetic, ambitious and innovative.

USTC (Hefei) has an enrollment of 13,100 students, including 950 PhD students, 2,950 postgraduate students, 8850 undergraduate students and about 6,200 adult students involved in the continuing education programs.

USTC campus (Hefei) covers a total area of 1.33 million square meters and owns equipment worth RMB300 million for advanced scientific research. The library has a collection of 1.45 million volumes of books.

China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT) is well established as a national university. In February 2000, the school was transferred under the administration of the Ministry of Education, becoming one of the state universities directly supervised by the Ministry of Education.

The predecessor of CUMT is Jiaozuo School of Railroad and Mines, which was established in 1909. In 1951 the school was moved to Tianjin and renamed China Institute of Mining and Technology (CIMT). In 1952 the mining engineering departments of Tsinghua University, Beiyang University, Tangshan Jiaotong University joined CIMT. And it moved to Beijing in 1953 and became Beijing Institute of Mining and Technology. The institute was moved to Sichuan Province in 1970, and got the name Sichuan Institute of Mining and Technology. Then in 1978, the institute was rebuilt in Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, and restored to its original name: China Institute of Mining and Technology. In 1988 the school was formally named China University of Mining and Technology (CUMT). In 1997, the Beijing Campus of China University of Mining and Technology was established on the basis of the Beijing Postgraduate School of CUMT. In 1998 the Management Cadre's Institute of Coal Industry merged into the Beijing Campus. Thus the mode of the university management has formed with "one university, two locations and three campuses." In June 2000 the Ministry of Education permitted the university to establish the School of Graduate Studies.

CUMT currently has schools and departments with 46 undergraduate specialties, 48 graduate programs and 8 research stations for postdoctoral graduates. The total number of students is 23,497, with 20,098 undergraduates, 3,399 graduates and doctorates. More than 70,000 students have graduated from the school. CUMT has an experienced teaching staff with high academic level and many of them have made tremendous contributions and obtained wide influence. Among its 3,308 faculty members and working staff, 1,283 are full-time teachers. There are 5 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 139  doctor tutors, and over 7 professors and associate professors.

CUMT is equipped with high-quality teaching and research facilities of 27 research institutes and 31 laboratories, some of which are listed as state-level or province-level key laboratories. Internet service is provided for all teachers and students. The CUMT library is furnished with an automated management system and has a collection of 117.6 million volumes of books. Other facilities in the university include CUMT Press, Science Hall, Gymnasium, Teachers' Club, Students' Club and a number of other cultural and recreational facilities.

With the development of the university, CUMT has continually opened up new areas for international academic exchanges and cooperation, establishing cooperative and exchange agreements and relations with dozens of universities and research organizations from the United States, the Great Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, etc.

Since 1990, the university has been awarded 18 prizes, including three national prizes, namely the National Natural Science, the National Invention, and the National Science & Technology Prizes. Now the school has undertaken more than 500 scientific programs and projects at the national, provincial-level and the level of municipalities directly under the central government.

Renmin University of China (RUC) is a national key comprehensive university that mainly focuses on social sciences, humanities, economics, administration and management. The university was founded in 1950. It can be traced back to the Shanbei (Northern part of Shaanxi Province) Public School in 1937 and later the North China United University and North China University. Well-known Chinese educators Wu Yuzhang, Cheng Fangwu, Yuan Baohua,Huang Da and  Li Wenhai served as presidents of the University respectively. The current president is Professor Ji Baocheng, with Professor Cheng Tianquan as the Party Secretary.

The motto of the university is "to seek truth from reality." After more than sixty years of construction and development, the university has formed a complete educational structure and system, which includes full-time undergraduate, graduate (both MA and PhD) and adult higher education. An impressive variety of subjects and courses are offered.

At present, the institution is comprised of 17 colleges, a school of graduate studies, and 10 departments. The institution offers 54 programs that confer bachelor's degree, 89, master's degree, and 55, doctor's degree. There are also 25 key academic programs that have been approved by the state,as well as 8 postdoctoral programs. RUC also has 12 national key scientific programs doing research in humanities and social sciences. There were over 1,221 teachers at RUC as of 2001, among whom 836 are professors or associate professors. Today, the university has a total number of 22,414 enrolled students, including 5,593 candidates for the doctorate and master's degree, 7,480 undergraduates and 9,341 adult students.

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Zhongshan University, originally known as Guangdong University, was founded in 1924 by Dr. Sun Yat-sen (also known as Sun Zhongshan), a great democratic revolutionary in Chinese history. It was renamed Zhongshan University in 1926 in commemoration of Dr. Sun. 

The 1930s saw rapid developments of the university, which in 1931 had five schools (Arts, Law, Science, Agriculture and Medicine). In 1934 it established the Engineering School and the Graduate School. The latter began to take in graduate students in 1935. The Teachers' College was founded in 1937. During the Anti-Japanese War, the university was forced to move from one place to another, to Luoding in Guangdong Province, Chengjiang in Yunnan Province, Pingshi, Dongjiang and Lianxian County in Guangdong Province. It moved back to Shipai in Guangzhou in 1945 when the war was over.

In 1952, the university was restructured to conform to the nationwide plans for reorganizing schools and departments. As a result, the Schools of Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine and the Teachers' College were separated from Zhongshan University, which was made into a comprehensive university specializing in the liberal arts and sciences. In the same year it moved from Shipai to Kangleyuan, the present Guangzhou Southern Campus.

On September 10, 2000, its Zhuhai Campus was opened in Tangjiawan, Zhuhai City. The establishment of this new campus has greatly expanded the space for teaching and research, laying a solid foundation for the development of the university in the new century.

The university, located in Guangdong Province and adjacent to Hong Kong and Macao, has been actively involved in academic exchanges abroad. The merger of the two universities provides the present Zhongshan University with even more academic exchange opportunities. Up to now, the university has set up academic links with over 100 well-known universities and institutions in different countries including the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Britain, France and Germany, and has signed collaboration agreements with more than 40 of them.

The new Zhongshan University is a multidisciplinary university covering humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and technological, medical and management sciences. At present, the university comprises 15 schools and 2 colleges -- the Schools of Humanities, Foreign Languages, Law, Political Science and Public Administration, Management, Education, Mathematics and Computational Science, Physics and Engineering, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Life Science, Information Science and Technology, Public Health, Nursing Studies, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Ling Nan (Economics) College and Zhongshan Medical College. It also has other educational institutions such as the Graduate School, the School of Continuing Education and the School of Network Education.

Zhongshan University has 3,534 faculty members, among which there are 1,523 teachers, 336 professors and 617 associate professors. The university has an enrolment of over 2000 students, among which there are 2,700 doctors, 2,700 graduates, over 10,000 undergraduates and 230 foreign students.

Zhongshan University is one of the key national universities. It is also one of the first institutions approved to grant doctor's and master's degree and to set up active postdoctoral research center. The Guangdong Provincial Government has invested over RMB280 million in total in Zhangshan University since 1993.

Examination content in Ancient Times

In the 2000-year-long examination history of ancient China, Chinese people have tried all kinds of examination contents they could come up with.

From the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-23AD) to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (1336-1392), recommendation system was prevailing and examinations played only a supplementary role. The contents of examination fell into two categories: Confucian classics forintellectuals and papers for civil officials. There has been little change to that in the time of recommendation system.

With the appearance of  Keju (imperial examinations), the contents of examinations were gradually enriched. During the Tang Dynasty (618-907),the major part of the examinations consists in poems. That's why poems saw an unprecedented development in the Tang Dynasty. In the Song (960-1279) and Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Confucian classics argumentation gradually replaced the poems as the main contents of examination. In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the imperial examinations became more important and more complicated, as the eight-part essay was adopted for the explication of the Confucian classics and formed the basis for a reinstatement of the examination system.

In a word, the contents of examinations in ancient China were mainly Confucian classics and literature. In the time of recommendation, Confucian classics and literature were separated. In the time of imperial examinations, the two gradually bacame intergrated.

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School education has a history of several thousand years in China. There were educational institutions called Yang in ancient China. Higher-level schools were Upper Yang, while the lower level schools were Lower Yang. In the Xia Dynasty (circa 2070-1600BC), schools were called by level: Xue, Dongxu, Xixu, and Xiao. In the Shang Dynasty (1766-1122BC), names of the four level schools were Xue, Youxue, Zuoxue and Xu. There were also schools set up in princes' residences in latter dynasties, called Biyong and Chengjun.

In the Han Dynasty (206BC-23AD), the highest learning institution was called Taixue (Supreme Learning), under which there were Dongxue (East Learning), Xixue (West Learning), Nanxue (South Learning) and Beixue (North Learning). Taixue was renamed as Guozixue, Guozisi and Guozijian (National Academy). In the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Guozijian was no longer a learning institution, but a special organ for education administration of the nation. By this time, schools were generally called Shuyuan (academy of classical learning) and Sishu (private school).

Keju (Imperial Examination System) is a kind of examination system in ancient times, through which officials were examined and selected. It was first adopted in the Sui Dynasty (581-618) and lasted through the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Intellectuals who wanted to be an official must take multi-tier examinations.

Formal imperial examinations consisted of three levels: provincial, metropolitan and final imperial examination.

The provincial examination was held triennially at the provincial city. Those admitted were called Juren (elevated men). The first place is called Jieyuan, the second, Yayuan.

The metropolitan examination was held in the following spring after the provincial examination at the Ministry of Rites in the capital. Those admitted were called Gongshi and the first place, Huiyuan.

The final imperial examination was under direct supervision of the emperor of the dynasty. Only Gongshi were qualified to take the exam. The matriculation had three levels of excellence. The first level was granted to three candidates, conferred Jinshi. The first three names set apart. The candidate ranking first was called Zhuangyuan (primus), the second, Bangyan, the third, Tanhua.

The second level was conferred the Jinshi status, the first place called Chuanlu. The third level was conferred the Jinshi status alike.

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During the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), candidates sitting at imperial examinations were required to write essays in accordance with a rigid eight-part form.

The eight-part essay was the form adopted for the explication of the Confucian classics, which formed the basis for a reinstatement of the examination system. Thus, the eight-part essay and imitations of the classical literary language of the earlier eras of Chinese cultural greatness became the major written genres of the time.

There were no further breakthroughs in literary writing, except for a style of artistically heightened descriptions of everyday life experiences, called Xiaopinwen (little essays), which emerged in the 15th and 16th centuries.

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• Imperial Examination in the Sui Dynasty (581-618)

After the founding of the Sui Dynasty, the economic power of small and medium landlords was strengthened. Their desire for political power was growing. The imperial examination system satisfied the desire and helped to recruit talents, and thus became one of the ways through which the government selected officials.

• Imperial Examination in the Tang Dynasty (618-907)

The imperial examination system developed systematically in the Tang Dynasty. Students of schools at all levels and ordinary literati not from schools could all take imperial examinations. There were also exams for incumbent officials. Jinshi is only a qualification to become officials. Only passing the exams conducted by Ministry of Official Personal Affairs, could Jinshi be granted positions in the government.

• Imperial Examination in the Song Dynasty (960-1279)

The imperial examination underwent further development in the Song Dynasty. The examinations included three levels: prefectural, provincial and the final imperial examinations. After passing the provincial and final imperial exams, candidates would be granted official positions.

• Imperial Examination in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368)

The imperial examinations under the Mongol rulers had obvious race discrimination. The imperial examinations were held triennially at provincial, metropolitan and final imperial levels. During the prefectural level, Mongol and other minority candidates only took two exams, while the Han candidates had to take three exams. In the final exam, although all candidates would answer one question on politics, the first two groups were allowed 500 word-limit, while the Han candidates must reach 1000 word-limit. The examination contents for the Han candidates were comparatively difficult.

• Imperial Examination in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

In the Ming Dynasty, Jinshi exam was the most important part. Candidates passing the county exams were qualified to take the Jinshi exams. The form of eight-part essay must be followed when writing articles in exams. Prefectural exam was the primary level of the formal imperial examinations and held in prefectural city. The provincial level exam came after that and was held in provincial city triennially. Those who were admitted in the provincial level exam were provided with qualifications to be an official.

The metropolitan and final imperial examinations were exams at the highest level. The metropolitan exam was held in the following spring after the provincial examination at the Ministry of Rites in the capital. Those admitted were called Gongshi and the first place, Huiyuan. Gongshi would take the final imperial exam namely under direct supervision of the emperor. The matriculation had three levels of excellence. The first level was granted to three candidates, conferred Jinshi. The first three names set apart. The candidate ranking first was called Zhuangyuan (primus), the second, Bangyan, the third, Tanhua.

• Imperial Examination in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912)

In the Qing Dynasty, the imperial examination continue to use the system and procedure of that in the Ming Dynasty.

In the Qing Dynasty, additional provincial exams were organized at the emperor's birthday or enthronement and they were called Enke. Jinshi of the second and third level of excellence would take another exam after the usual final imperial exam.

The form of eight-part essay was strictly required in the Qing Dynasty. During the reign of Qianlong Emperor (1735-1796), poem was added to exam content, which became a compulsory content of prefectural, provincial and metropolitan level exams.