Recruitment exams add some new regulations every year or undergo partial modifications. By today, the policies and content of the recruitment exams have settled without major changes.
The current recruitment exam is divided into four levels.
County exams, regional exams, state exams, and national exams.
The national exam has two time periods: Initial exams in the fall, and after passing, a final exam the following spring.
This timing is similar to the imperial examinations, hence it's also called the fall exam and spring exam.
The first place in the spring exam is called the Top Scholar, the second place is the Eye-Spot Scholar, and the third place is the Flower-Searching Scholar, and so on.
All officials from the County Magistrate upwards are chosen from the national exam.
Since the ninth year of Yuanzhen, it has been rare for anyone to be promoted by recommendation to a substantial official role above the County Magistrate level.
