Method of Recruiting Mandarins for the Court under the Lý Dynasty (1010-1225)

Abstract

The mandarin recruitment method under the Lý Dynasty included: selection (tuyển cử), appointment (nhiệm tử), and examination (khoa cử). Besides, a rich person could also buy a position for him.

"Selection" was often practiced in the early period of the Lý Dynasty. The selected person was often a descendant of either royal or privileged families.

"Appointment" was the method in which educated offspring of high-ranking mandarins were selected and assigned to be mandarins. During the Lý Dynasty, this way of recruiment was not highly respected as it had been during the Đinh and Former Lê Dynasties because it failed to warrant the quality of the appointment mandarin in the new socio-economic circumstance.

"Examination" was applied for the first time in Vietnam during the Lý Dynasty, when Confucianism was respected more and more in the Đại Việt's society and successful Confucianist scholars were employed by the court. Nevertheless, the examination system was irregular and hence the number of Confucianist scholars was also limited. Examination was therefore still did not hold a crucial part in the mandarin recruitment during the Lý Dynasty.

"Buying mandarin title" was not popular during this period and was in practice only at time "examination" was not applied. Historical records, however, did not mention about such aspects as the price, ranking, and so forth.