The specific process of the ancient imperial examination varied according to times, regions, systems, and other factors, but it usually included the following steps: 1. Entrance: The entry threshold for the imperial examination was relatively high. Usually, one had to pass a series of examinations such as the county examination, the government examination, and the provincial examination before they could finally enter the imperial examination hall. 2. Examinations: After entering the imperial examination hall, the candidates had to face various subjects, including policy theory, poetry, prose, calligraphy, and so on. The difficulty and content of these subjects were very broad, requiring candidates to have a solid cultural accomplishment and a wide range of knowledge reserves. 3. Pass: After passing all the subjects, the examinee can obtain a good result of passing the imperial examination. 4. Palace examination: After passing the imperial examination, candidates still need to participate in the palace examination. This is the highest stage of the imperial examination. In the court examinations, the candidates had to face an interview personally hosted by the Emperor and write an essay. Those who performed well would be appreciated and appointed by the Emperor. The ranking of the imperial examination and the opportunity to be an official varied from era to era and from region to region. Generally speaking, those who were the top scorer, second runner-up, and the top scorer would be promoted to the position of prime minister, state official, and other high-ranking officials. Those who passed the examination could enter the court and become bureaucrats with certain power and status. However, it should be noted that the imperial examination was only one of the ways to become an official, not the only way. The promotion of officials also needed to consider other factors such as political ability, leadership ability, social relations, etc.