Systems of Art and Culture in Early Modern India and China

I. Introduction:

II. The Mahabharata in Indian Culture
A. Origins of the Mahabharata
- Ramayana and Bhagavadgita
B. Plot of the Mahabharata
1. Struggle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas

2. War and Redemption of the Pandavas

C. Religious Message of the Mahabharata

III. The Chinese Civil Service Exam

A. Patterns before the Tang Dynasty

B. The Six Arts and the Five Studies

C. The Three Levels of Testing
1. xiucai (cultivated talent)

2. juren (recommended man)

3. jinshi exams

D. Failing the Exams
E. Creating a Common Culture

IV. Conclusion: Successes and Limits of the Exam System

Key Terms

Mahabharata
Pandavas and Kauravas

Draupadi
dharma
jinshi exams
“eight-legged essay”

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