Zhang Xiqing

Professor Zhang Xiqing was born in Puyang, Henan Province in December, 1945. He got his Bachelor Degree from Department of Law, Peking University in 1969 and Master's Degree in history from Department of History in 1982.

He is currently Professor and Head oflnstitute of History and Culture of Peking University. He is also Senior Vice Chairman and Secretary-General ofAssociation for Yan Huang Culture of China, Chairman of the Professional Committee of Keju Culture, Director of Academic Committee of Fan Zhongyan Studies of China.

He mainly conducts his teaching and research in the history of Song, Liao, Jin Dynasties, Chinese ancient political system and political culture. His academic books include System of Keju Examination in China, Decrees and Regulations in Song Dynasty A History of Examinations in China(Volume of Song Dynasty).

He is also the editor of History of Chinese Civilization(Volume of Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan), Collision and Integration of Chinese Culture Between the 10th and 13th Centuty.
Keju: A Precious World Cultural Heritage

The system of Keju(the ancient state examination in China) was an examination system that the imperial court decided the subjects, scholars(Shiren) cound take part in freely and the selection of officials depended on the results of the examinations. It is a precious world cultural heritage. It derived from China, first adopted in Sui Dynasty, established in Tang Dynasty, fully-developed in Song Dynasty and continued to the Qing Dynasty, a 1300-year history in all. A large number of good and hardworking o伍cials were selected by the Keju system., Nearly all the famous politician, philosophers, writers and scholars from Sui, Tang to Ming,Qing had connections with the system.

Keju had done much contribution to the political, economic and cultural development in ancient China. As China's "the fifth invention", Keju also influenced the world: Japan, Korea, Vietnam also followed China's example, created similar system of official selection examinations. Keju system had a contribution to the establishment of Western system of civil servants.

The reason that Keju system influenced so much is that its principles "Open, equal and only enroll the best" had a universal value. Even in the contemporary examinations in schools, the system of Chinese civil servants and all other examination systems, we can also find the old Keju beneficial. To sum up, Keju system, a precious world cultural heritage, still has an important meaning to the modern world.

张希清

张希清，男，河南濮阳人，1945年12月生。1969年北京大学法律学系本科毕业；1982年北京大学历史学系在职研究生毕业，获历史学硕士学位。原任北京大学中国古代史研究中心教授兼主任；现任北京大学历史文化研究所教授兼所长，兼任中华炎黄文化研究会常务副会长兼秘书长、科举文化专业委员会主席团主席，中国范仲淹研究会学术委员会主任等。主要从事宋辽金史、中国古代政治制度及政治文化史等的教学与研究。主要学术著作有《中国科举考试制度》、《宋朝典制》、 《中国考试通史》（宋代卷）；主编有<中华文明史》（宋辽夏金卷）、《10～13世纪中国文化的碰撞与融合》等。

科举：宝贵的世界文化遗产

科举制度是朝廷开设科目，士人可以自由报考，主要以考试成绩决定取舍的选拔官员的制度。这是一份宝贵的世界文化遗产。科举制度起源于中国，它创始于隋，确立于唐，完备于宋，延续至元、明、清，前后经历了一千三百年之久。通过科举，不但选拔了大批经世致用、治国安民的官员，而且中国从隋唐到明清的大部分政治家、思想家、文学家和著名学者等几乎所有的知识分子，大都与科举有关。

科举对中国古代政治、经济、文化的发展，都做出了重要贡献。但是，科举制度并不局限于中国。它作为中国的“第五大发明”，对世界文明的发展也做出了重大贡献。古代的日本、朝鲜（韩国）、越南等东亚国家，也曾仿效中国的科举制度，在本国长期实行了类似科举的选拔官员的制度。科举制度对西方文官制度的创立，也具有重要影响。

科举制度之所以在世界历史上起过非常重大的作用，一个重要原因，就是它体现了“公开考试、平等竞争、择优录取”的原则。这一原则具有普世价值。所以，直至当代的学校考试制度、国家公务员考试制度，以及其他各种考试制度等，都仍然可以从科举制度中获得有益的启迪。科举制度这份宝贵的世界文化遗产，对于当今世界仍然具有重要意义。