A predominant feature of Chinese civilization is the widely-diffused respect for learning. We argue that this is due to the effect of China’s civil service examination system (keju), an incredibly long-lived institution in Chinese history. Using the variation in the density of jinshi across 278 Chinese prefectures in the Ming-Qing period (c. 1368-1905) to proxy for this effect, we provide evidence showing that a doubling of jinshi per 10,000 population leads to an 8.5% increase in years of schooling in 2010. Our evidence thus suggests how in some cultures it is education rather than material wealth that is considered important as a transfer to the next generation. While the persistent effect of keju can be attributed to a multitude of factors including educational infrastructure, social capital, and so forth, cultural transmission represents a key channel through which the widely-diffused respect for learning is transmitted across generations. 

时  间：2025年3月14日

地  点：成章楼C座金色大厅

主  题：Long Live Keju! The Persistent Effects of China’s Civil Service Examination

                 System

主讲人：龚启圣，浙江大学青山访问教授、墨尔本大学商学与经济学院格里芬讲席教授

详情链接：https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/2TjCCFGQ3iT38RegN0Uw6Q