Civil Service Exam (Kwago)

Civil Service Exam (Kwago)


By Shim Hyun-chul
Staff Reporter

Confucian scholars take a civil service examination during the 13th festival to reenact an examination in the Choson Kingdom (1392-1910) at Kyongbok Palace in Seoul on Oct.1. Examinees are required to write a poem on a subject given by the king. / Korea Times Photos by Shim Hyun-chul


A king riding on a sedan chair enters an examination place as Confucian scholars prepare to take the examination.

How did the ambitious gain prestigious government positions during the Choson Kingdom (1392-1910)? Of course, by passing state examinations. The Choson Kingdom recruited civil servants by national civil service examinations called “kwago.” The examinations fell into two broad categories of mungwa, or literary examinations to select administrative officials, and mugwa, or military examinations for military officers.

Additionally, chapgwa was miscellaneous examinations in the fields of engineering, medicine and culture. The examinations were held once every three years on a regular basis, but special examinations took place in the case of national events or celebrations.


A king, second from left, announces a subject for the exam and subjects write it down.

The strict status system of society, however, only allowed the aristocratic “yangban” class to take literary examinations. Commoners could take military or miscellaneous examinations, but women could never apply for any examination, which testifies to the exclusion of women from social activities under the Confucian philosophy.

During 500 years of Choson Kingdom, a total of 163 regular kwago took place. Scoring highest points in the literary examinations was called “changwon kupje”, and those who did this received alcohol bestowed by the king. They also wore crown donned with flowers, and rode white horses on their way home, during which musicians played to celebrate.

Every year on the first Sunday of October at Kyongbok Palace in Seoul, kwago of the Choson Kingdom is reenacted, especially the literary examination and the military examination. Everyone who is interested can participate by applying in advance when the Seoul Metropolitan Government announces the plan in August, on a firstcome, first-served basis. This year marked the 13th recreation of kwago, as it started in 1994. The event became a reminder to citizens of their ancestors’ way of life.




Shim@koreatimes.co.kr
10-12-2006 18:05