Knowledge: The origins of No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, and No. 3 overall pick.

In ancient times, the imperial examination system was implemented. Those scholars first obtained the title of scholar, and then they obtained the title of examiner. Those who passed the examination were called Gongshi, also known as Jinshi; all Jinshi then took an examination with questions personally set by the emperor - the Imperial Examination. The palace examination only ranks the candidates and does not eliminate contestants. After passing the palace examination, Jinshi are divided into three grades, called the top three. Only three people are selected from the first grade, and they are awarded "Jinshi pass"; the number of second graders is uncertain, and they are given "Jinshi origin"; the number of third graders is also uncertain, and they are given "the same Jinshi origin" ". Among them: among the three people in the first class, the first one is called "the top pick", the second one is called the "second place", and the third one is called "the third flower".

So, why are the top three in the imperial examination called "the top pick, the second pick, and the top pick"?

Let’s talk about the number one scholar first. The number one scholar was originally called "Zhuang Tou". During the Tang Dynasty, candidates who participated in the joint examination were sent to the capital by tribute from various states. Before taking the examination, they needed to submit a "voucher", which was the list of candidates. After the examination, the candidates are sorted according to their scores, and the person with the highest score is placed at the front, which is called the "top scholar" or "top scholar." Yuan also means the beginning, such as: first year, first month, first day, new year's day, etc.

The ancients are also very interesting. Three people were admitted to the first class and the first class. Since the first one is called Zhuantou, then if there is a head, there must be eyes. There are two eyes, which happens to be the second one. The first and third place are called second place, one on each side. List also means "statement". A list submitted to superiors is called a list; a list posted for the public to see is called a list. The meaning is actually the same.

Since the second place and the third place are both called second place, then how did the third place come to be?

It turns out that the examination was held in spring, so it was also called "Chunwei". In the Tang Dynasty, after the imperial examination, the emperor would personally hold a grand celebration for these new scholars and hold a banquet in the apricot garden near the palace. At this time, the apricot blossoms were beginning to bloom, so the emperor selected the two youngest and most handsome people among these Jinshi scholars to serve as "flower scouts." Just go and check out where the apricot blossoms bloom the most. Each person will pick off a branch and bring it back, and the emperor will personally put it on the hat of the number one scholar. This is what is often sung in operas as "hats put palace flowers". Then, everyone drank, wrote poems, and had fun together. Therefore, the original term "Tanhua" refers to the two youngest and most handsome guys in the celebration after passing the Jinshi examination, and does not specifically refer to the third place.

After the Tang Dynasty, came the Five Dynasties and the Song Dynasty. The capitals of these two dynasties were not in Chang'an, and there was no "apricot garden" in the capital, so naturally there was no "Tanhualang". However, because the image of "Tanhualang" is so beautiful, people are reluctant to give up this title. Therefore, except for the number one scholar and the second place, other Jinshi are willing to be called "Tanhualang". This is both an honor and a good-natured tease.

As time went by, so many people called her Tanhua, which felt inappropriate. In the Southern Song Dynasty, it was stipulated that only the third place in the first place could be called "Tanhua", so the second place became the special name of the second place.

June 21, 2021