Confucian classics were made the cornerstone of the [Chinese civil service examination] system simply because it had been the philosophy of the people. After the appearance of this system, students treated [the civil service system] as a stepping-stone toward government employment. — Pao Chao Hsieh, The Government of China, 1644 to 1911 (1925) Based on the excerpt, how did the civil service examination system change Chinese society? (1 point) Responses Confucian ideas shaped China’s government and led to discrimination against those who believed in other faiths and philosophies. Confucian ideas shaped China’s government and led to discrimination against those who believed in other faiths and philosophies. The Confucian-based civil service examination system led to the dominance of a highly educated and privileged class in Chinese society. The Confucian-based civil service examination system led to the dominance of a highly educated and privileged class in Chinese society. The Confucian-based civil service examination led to the development of a literary elite who studied Confucianism for its own sake. The Confucian-based civil service examination led to the development of a literary elite who studied Confucianism for its own sake. Confucian ideas became a unifying force that led to a better connection among the vast and diverse population of China.

Answer 1

The civil service examination system, based on Confucian classics, led to the dominance of a highly educated and privileged class in Chinese society. This change occurred as the examination system established criteria for government employment that favored those who were well-versed in Confucian philosophy, thereby creating a class of officials who were educated in these principles and potentially marginalized individuals adhering to other beliefs or philosophies.