The Han civil service system created a valuable legacy for future governments in the following ways:
- It selected the most intelligent and hardworking men and women to fill important jobs.
- Government jobs were assigned according to merit measured by performance on exams.
- It established a long-lasting civil service system founded on strong Confucian values.
The option regarding members of politically influential or wealthy families being awarded the highest positions does not align with the principles of the Han civil service system, which aimed to promote meritocracy rather than nepotism.