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 rewarding members of politically influential or wealthy families does not align with the meritocratic principles promoted by the Han civil service system.