Taixue

NOTOC Taixue (Tai-shueh; ), or sometimes called the "Imperial Academy", "Imperial School", "Imperial University" or "Imperial Central University", was the highest rank of educational establishment in Ancient China created during the Han dynasty. The Sui dynasty instituted major reforms, giving the imperial academy a greater administrative role and renaming it the Guozijian (國子監). As the Guozijian, the institution was maintained by successive dynasties until it was finally abolished in 1905 near the end of the Qing dynasty. Taixue taught Confucianism and Chinese literature among other things for high level civil service posts, although a civil service system based upon competitive examination rather than recommendation was not introduced until the Sui and did not become a mature system until the Song dynasty (960–1279). The university held 30,000 students and academicians during the 2nd century. This provided the Han dynasty with well-educated bureaucrats to fill civil service posts in the imperial government. The first nationwide government school system in China was established in 3 AD under Emperor Ping of Han, with the Taixue located in the capital of Chang'an and local schools established in the prefectures and in the main cities of the smaller counties. The Imperial University (taixue) in Kaifeng was created as part of the Qingli Reforms to provide education to the children of commoners and low-ranking officials. It was the only institution that survived the reversal of the reforms. Wang Anshi's New Policies included a major reform of education, including a greater emphasis on the Confucian classics at the expense of poetry and the reorganisation of the examination system. The university was expanded from 200 students in 1051 to 2,400 students in 1079 and was restructured into three halls: Outer, Inner and Upper. The students proceeded from one to another and upon graduation became qualified for the position of official. The Three Hall system survived the partial rollback of the New Policies and was used as a template for prefectural schools.