Like earlier emperors, Tang rulers relied on a large bureaucracy. Officials collected taxes and oversaw building and irrigation projects. They managed the army and enforced the laws. But how could emperors be sure that they chose the best people for these positions?
Earlier emperors answered this question in different ways. Before the Han dynasty, emperors chose members of the aristocracy to help them govern. These people were born into noble families of wealthy and powerful landowners. But simply being wealthy did not make a person talented and knowledgeable.
To improve the bureaucracy, Han emperors created civil service examinations. Candidates took long tests to qualify for office. The tests had questions on Chinese classics, poetry, and legal and administrative issues. Mainly, they were based on the works of Confucius (kon-FEW-shus), China’s great philosopher and teacher. This began the system under which a class of scholar-officials ran the government.
Later, Tang emperors also used civil service exams to fill some government positions. Early in the dynasty, however, emperors chose aristocrats for most high-level jobs. Some officials were hired because their fathers or grandfathers had held high government rank. Some were hired because of personal recommendations. Often, aristocrats gained positions by marrying into the imperial family.
Even the civil service exams favored aristocrats. The tests were supposedly open to all except for certain groups, such as merchants, actors, and beggars. In theory, any man could attend the university where students prepared for the exams. In reality, however, only the wealthy could afford tutors, books, and time to study. As a result, aristocrats held almost all offices in the early part of the Tang dynasty.