Chapter 43

The Imperial Academy was the highest institution of learning in the Ming and Qing dynasties, surpassing even the prestigious universities of later eras. The students who studied at this supreme institution were known as Imperial Academy students. Among these students were *juren* who entered the academy, *xiucai* who entered as tribute students, those who entered through hereditary privilege or imperial favor, and those who purchased their status through financial contributions to the state. During the Ming dynasty, admission was strictly regulated. Each prefecture, state, and county academy was limited to a single tribute student quota per year, and candidates had to pass examinations set by the Hanlin Academy covering the Confucian classics, exegetical writing, and judgment writing. Only the most outstanding could enter the academy to study. Once a student became a tribute student, they were no longer subject to the discipline of local Confucian schools, a status commonly known as "graduating tribute."