Examination of Country Magistrates

Examination of Country Magistrates, watercolor painting that was created by an unknown artist during the Qing dynasty in China and that dates from about 1700–20. It is held by the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris.

The Qing dynasty, which was established in 1644, retained all the protocols pertaining to the Chinese civil service examinations, which had begun about 124 BCE, that had been established by the preceding Ming dynasty. This painting was probably produced under the rule of the Kangxi or Yongzheng emperor by an artist serving the court. The scene shows the examination of country magistrates under a pavilion—the Chinese characters tell us this is a “provincial examination.” Successful candidates were awarded general government posts.

As with all traditional Chinese art, this painting is two-dimensional. Realistic representation is put aside in favor of an attempt to capture the nature of the scene. The high horizon—a view above the action—allows a narrative to unfold, as in this painting in which the scholars enter in the lower register, sit the examination in the middle register, and hand their papers to the official in the top register. This is embellished with trees, vegetation, and a misty sky to express the spiritual values of this story.