19 Sep 2009: Imperial Examination College 江南贡院

This is the first item in my itinerary - 江南贡院. Yes, this is where the "状元"s (i.e. the Number One Scholar (in the imperial examination) are "produced"! For years since the examination system was established, scholars from all over China set foot here to take the Imperial Exams, which led to appointments as magistrates and some even become the "驸马"s (an emperor's son-in-law; a consort prince).

Because of this, many historical figures that we came across in literature like 李白，唐寅, 王羲之 and 朱元璋 (just to name a few) were lived here (for long or short stays!). Interesting! Isn't it? Hey, I could be tracing some of their footsteps now!

李白: Famous Tang Poet... of course, the famous poem “静夜诗”，
唐寅：That is famous for the 唐伯虎与秋香's story
王羲之: Doesn't ring a bell? Well, I remember the passage read in Primary 2, about a young poor shepherd who learnt to draw lotus flowers in the pond... and subsequently become a great painter
朱元璋: The first Ming Emperor who rose from the commoners

View the photos to read more about what I saw in 江南贡院.