Final answer:
In Song-Ming China, men of the scholar-gentry class were required to pass civil service examinations. These exams were a merit-based system that allowed scholars to qualify for assignments in the imperial court and achieve social status based on their educational merit.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Song-Ming China, the minimum qualification for men of the scholar-gentry class was to pass the civil service examinations. These examinations were a merit-based system where scholars would travel to testing centers and sit for exams that ranged from the county level to the imperial level. Passing the highest level exams qualified a scholar for assignments in the imperial court, and success on these exams was a ticket to the highest levels of imperial society. The exams were open to all scholars, regardless of their social background, and were based on their educational merit rather than birth or wealth.