Students experience Vietnam’s ancient imperial exams
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Students in the Duong Lam area of Hanoi, Vietnam, recently participated in a program recreating Vietnam’s imperial examination system at Son Tay Temple of Literature.
Son Tay Temple of Literature and Vietnam Heritage Village Experiential Education JSC partnered to create the immersive experience, allowing students to role-play as exam officials, soldiers, and candidates. Organizers designed the program to help students better understand historical educational practices by moving beyond traditional tours and lectures.
The recreated examinations involved students using calligraphy tools and experiencing a setting similar to those used by scholars centuries ago. Phung Minh Long, director of Vietnam Heritage Village Experiential Education JSC, explained that the hands-on approach helps students grasp concepts that might otherwise feel distant and unfamiliar. Vietnam’s imperial examination system, which began in 1075 and ended in 1919, was a key part of the country’s civil service and social structure for nearly a thousand years.
The multi-level exams tested students on Confucian classics, law, poetry, and politics, and successful candidates could earn high positions in the imperial court and have their names recorded on stone monuments. The program aims to connect visitors to the history of Son Tay Temple of Literature through direct experience, fostering a deeper appreciation for Vietnam’s educational traditions and meritocratic governance.
