During the Reigns of Tong Zhi and Guang Xu,it gradually became a eommonplaee to donating money or to being reeommended with personal guarantee for official position. As a result, the number of candidates for the eourlty offieials soared up, whereas they varied widely in ranks and abilities. Meanwhile, the ehief governors of provinces frequently bended written regulations and broke obsolete conventions, in order to appoint the candidates they favored. The central government of the Qing Dynasty tried to regulate it from various perspectives but in vain. As far as the selection system was concern...
