摘要：在中国历史的长河中，科举制度宛如一颗璀璨又复杂的星辰，闪耀着独特的光芒，也投下了长长的阴影。当我们把目光穿越到公元前后，会发现一场影响深远的人才选拔变革正在悄然酝酿，直至隋唐时代彻底成熟，它就是科举制。而在西汉早年，与之类似的举孝廉察举制度，也曾在历史的舞台上
在中国历史的长河中，科举制度宛如一颗璀璨又复杂的星辰，闪耀着独特的光芒，也投下了长长的阴影。当我们把目光穿越到公元前后，会发现一场影响深远的人才选拔变革正在悄然酝酿，直至隋唐时代彻底成熟，它就是科举制。而在西汉早年，与之类似的举孝廉察举制度，也曾在历史的舞台上扮演过重要角色。
科举：独木桥上的“千军万马”
西汉的察举制度，就像是一场基于道德与才能的“海选”。它以“孝”和“廉”为重要标准，试图从民间挖掘出那些德才兼备的人才，为朝廷所用。这就好比在一个大池塘里捞鱼，希望能捞出最有价值的“大鱼”。然而，随着时间的推移，察举制度逐渐暴露出一些问题，比如推荐过程中的主观性和不公平性。
到了隋唐，科举制度闪亮登场，它以更为公平、公开的方式选拔人才，打破了世家大族对仕途的垄断。这一制度就像是一个巨大的“人才吸铁石”，吸引了无数文人墨客投身其中。据史料记载，唐朝时期，每年参加科举考试的考生多达数千人，而最终能金榜题名的却寥寥无几。这数千人就像一群怀揣梦想的“追光者”，都挤在科举这条独木桥上，渴望通过“学而优则仕”实现人生的逆袭。
科举考试的内容主要集中在四书五经等儒家经典上。这就导致了一个严重的后果：所有文人都把精力放在了研读这些经典上，就像一群被设定了固定程序的机器人，只知道按照既定的模式学习和思考。他们关心的不是自然科学的奥秘，不是世界的本质，而是如何在这场激烈的竞争中脱颖而出，进入官场，飞黄腾达。
举个例子，唐朝的韩愈，他才华横溢，却在科举之路上屡屡受挫。他多次参加科举考试，直到第四次才进士及第。在这个过程中，他耗费了大量的时间和精力去研究儒家经典，而自然科学的探索对他来说，就像是一个遥不可及的梦。这种现象在当时并非个例，而是普遍存在于文人群体中。据统计，唐朝有记载的文人中，超过 80%的人都把主要精力放在了科举备考上，对自然科学几乎没有任何关注。
偏废之殇：文化天平的失衡
由于文人都挤在科举这条独木桥上，中国文化的发展逐渐出现了严重的偏废。自然科学领域就像是一片被遗忘的荒原，鲜有人问津。中国古代在天文、地理、数学、医学等方面曾经有过辉煌的成就，但在科举制度的影响下，这些领域的发展逐渐陷入了停滞。
以天文为例，中国古代的天文学在早期非常发达，出现了许多杰出的天文学家和天文著作。然而，随着科举制度的盛行，研究天文的人越来越少。因为研究天文不能带来仕途上的晋升，不能让他们实现“学而优则仕”的梦想。这就好比一个原本繁荣的花园，因为大家都去追逐一种花，而忽略了其他花的生长，最终导致花园的生态失衡。
地理学也是如此。古代中国地域辽阔，有着丰富的地理资源需要探索和研究。但在科举制度的吸引下，文人们更愿意坐在书房里研读四书五经，而不愿意走出家门，去实地考察地理环境。这就使得中国古代的地理学发展逐渐落后于世界其他地区。
落榜者的逆袭：中医成为自然科学“救世主”
就在中国文化因为科举制度而陷入自然科学发展困境的时候，一批落榜的知识分子却做出了一个惊人的选择——“不为良相当为良医”。他们就像一群在黑暗中寻找光明的“孤勇者”，放弃了通过科举进入官场的机会，转而投身到自然科学领域，尤其是中医。
中医，这个中国古代自然科学的瑰宝，成为了这些落榜知识分子的“避风港”和“试验田”。他们把在研读儒家经典过程中培养出来的严谨思维和钻研精神，用到了中医的研究和实践上。他们翻阅古代医书，结合自己的临床实践，不断探索和创新，为中医的发展做出了巨大的贡献。
比如，唐代的孙思邈，他一生都致力于医学的研究和实践。虽然他也曾有过通过科举进入仕途的想法，但最终还是选择了医学这条道路。他走遍大江南北，收集民间药方，亲自尝试各种草药，经过数十年的努力，完成了《千金方》这部医学巨著。这部著作就像一颗璀璨的明珠，照亮了中医发展的道路，对后世的医学产生了深远的影响。
还有宋代的李时珍，他也是因为科举失利，才转而研究医学。他花费了 27 年的时间，编写了《本草纲目》。这部著作是中国古代药物学的集大成者，它详细记载了 1892 种药物，收集了 11096 个药方，对中国的医学和自然科学发展做出了不可磨灭的贡献。
中医之所以能成为中国古代自然科学之集大成者，聚集了几千年中国知识分子的智慧的结晶，正是因为这些落榜知识分子的加入。他们就像一股清泉，注入了中医这片原本有些干涸的土地，让中医焕发出了新的生机和活力。
反思与启示：科举与自然科学的平衡之道
回顾历史，我们不得不反思科举制度对中国文化发展的影响。科举制度在选拔人才、促进社会流动方面发挥了重要作用，但它也导致了中国文化在自然科学领域的严重偏废。这就提醒我们，在人才选拔和社会发展中，不能只注重一种标准和一个方向，而应该保持多元化的视野和平衡的发展策略。
在当今社会，我们虽然已经废除了科举制度，但类似的问题依然存在。比如，在教育领域，我们过于注重学生的考试成绩和升学率，而忽略了对学生创新能力和实践能力的培养。这就导致了许多学生在进入社会后，缺乏解决实际问题的能力和创新精神。
我们应该从历史中吸取教训，在人才选拔和教育过程中，注重培养学生的综合素质和创新能力，鼓励他们探索自然科学和其他领域的奥秘。同时，我们也应该营造一个宽松、包容的社会环境，让那些有才华、有梦想的人能够在不同的领域发挥自己的优势，为中国文化的发展和自然科学的进步做出贡献。
科举制度就像一把双刃剑，既有积极的一面，也有消极的一面。而中医，在科举制度的阴影下，成为了中国古代自然科学的一座丰碑。它见证了中国知识分子的智慧和勇气，也为我们今天的发展提供了宝贵的启示。让我们铭记历史，珍惜现在，在未来的道路上，走出一条更加科学、合理、多元化的发展之路。
作者简介：梁世杰 中医高年资主治医师，本科学历，从事中医临床工作24年，积累了较丰富的临床经验。师从首都医科大学附属北京中医院肝病科主任医师、著名老中医陈勇，侍诊多载，深得器重，尽得真传！擅用“商汤经方分类疗法”、专病专方结合“焦树德学术思想”“关幼波十纲辨证”学术思想治疗疑难杂症为特色。现任北京树德堂中医研究院研究员，北京中医药薪火传承新3+3工程—焦树德门人（陈勇）传承工作站研究员，国际易联易学与养生专委会常务理事，中国中医药研究促进会焦树德学术传承专业委员会委员，中国药文化研究会中医药慢病防治分会首批癌症领域入库专家。荣获2020年中国中医药研究促进会仲景医学分会举办的第八届医圣仲景南阳论坛“经方名医”荣誉称号。2023年首届京津冀“扁鹊杯”燕赵医学研究主题征文优秀奖获得者。事迹入选《当代科学家》杂志、《中华英才》杂志。
Under the academic landscape, how did traditional Chinese medicine become a "lone brave" in ancient natural science?
In the long history of Chinese history, the examination system was like a bright and complex star, shining with unique light and cast a long shadow. When we look back around A.D., a far-reaching talent selection revolution was quietly brewing until the Sui and Tang Dynasties reached full maturity: the examination system. In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, a similar system of filial piety, integrity, and probation also played an important role in the history stage.
Civil examination: "Thousands of troops" on the canoe bridge
The examination system in Western Han Dynasty was like a "selective" based on morality and talent. It used "filial" and "integrity" as important criteria, and attempted to excavate people from the countryside who possessed both virtues and talents for use by the court. It's like catching fish in a big pond in the hope of catching the most valuable "big fish." Over time, however, the system of inquiry has gradually revealed some problems, such as subjectivity and unfairness in the recommendation process.
In the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the examination system came into sharp relief. It selected talents in a fairer and more open manner, breaking the monopoly of the clans on careers. The system was like a giant "magnet for talent," attracting countless literary muckrakers to participate in it. According to historical records, during the Tang Dynasty, as many as thousands of candidates took the examination each year, and very few ended up with the gold medal. These thousands of people are like a group of dreaming "seekers" crammed onto the canoe bridge of the academic examination, eager to achieve life's reversal by "learning and excelling."
The content of the civil service exam mainly focuses on Confucian classics such as the Four Books and Five Scriptures. This leads to a serious consequence: all writers concentrate on studying these classics, like a set of robots programmed to learn and think according to a set pattern. What they care about is not the mysteries of natural science, or the nature of the world, but how to stand out in this fierce competition, get into the official arena, and get ahead.
For example, Han Yue of the Tang Dynasty was a brilliant man, but he was repeatedly frustrated on his way to the examination. He took the civil service examinations several times, and was not promoted to grade 4 until the fourth time. In the process, he spent a great deal of time and energy studying Confucian classics, and the exploration of natural science seemed like a distant dream to him. This phenomenon was not an isolated one at the time, but was widespread among the literate population. According to statistics, more than 80% of the literati recorded in the Tang Dynasty focused their attention on the examination of the civil service and paid little attention to the natural sciences.
The Fear of Prejudice: The Imbalance of the Cultural Balance
Because the literati were crowded on the canoe bridge of the examination, the development of Chinese culture gradually showed serious bias. The field of natural science is like a forgotten wasteland, seldom visited. In ancient China, there were brilliant achievements in astronomy, geography, mathematics, and medicine, but under the influence of the examination system, the development of these fields gradually stagnated.
Take astronomy as an example. Ancient Chinese astronomy was very developed in the early days, and many outstanding astronomers and astronomical works appeared. However, with the popularity of the examination system, fewer and fewer people studied astronomy. Because studying astronomy does not lead to a career advancement and does not allow them to realize their dream of "learning and excelling at work." It's like a garden that was once thriving because everyone chased one flower and ignored the growth of other flowers, which eventually led to an ecological imbalance in the garden.
The same is true of geography. Ancient China was a vast country with abundant geographical resources to explore and study. However, attracted by the examination system, literate people prefer to sit in their study and study four books and five scriptures, rather than go out of the house and explore the geographical environment on the ground. This caused the geographical development of ancient China to lag behind that of the rest of the world.
The fallout's assault: Traditional Chinese Medicine becomes the "saviour" of natural science
While Chinese culture was struggling to develop natural science because of the academic examination system, a group of disqualified intellectuals made a surprising choice - "Not being good is a good doctor." They were like a group of "lonely warriors" searching for light in the dark, giving up the chance to enter the civil service through the civil service in favor of devoting themselves to the field of natural science, especially Chinese medicine.
Traditional Chinese medicine, a treasure of ancient Chinese natural science, has become a "safe haven" and a "testing ground" for these unsung intellectuals. They applied the rigorous thinking and research spirit developed in the process of studying Confucian classics to the study and practice of traditional Chinese medicine. They leafed through ancient medical books, combined their own clinical practice, continuously explored and innovated, and made tremendous contributions to the development of traditional Chinese medicine.
For example, Sun Simeng of the Tang Dynasty, he devoted his life to the study and practice of medicine. Although he also had the idea of getting into a career through the civil service, he ultimately chose the path of medicine. He traveled all over the country, collected folk medicinal recipes, and personally tried various herbs. After decades of effort, he completed the great medical work "The thousand golden recipes." This work is like a shining pearl that illuminated the path of the development of traditional Chinese medicine and had a profound impact on the medical science of succeeding generations.
There is also Li Shizhen in the Song Dynasty, who also turned to medicine because he lost the civil service. It took him 27 years to write the Essays. This work is a masterpiece of ancient Chinese pharmacology. It detailed 1892 drugs, collected 11,096 prescriptions, and made an indelible contribution to the development of Chinese medicine and natural science.
The reason why traditional Chinese medicine has become a major successor in ancient Chinese natural sciences, gathering the wisdom of Chinese intellectuals for thousands of years, is precisely because of the participation of these unsuccessful intellectuals. They are like a spring that injects into this otherwise dry land of traditional Chinese medicine, giving it new life and vitality.
Reflection and Revelation: A Balance between Academics and the Natural Sciences
Looking back at the history, we have to reflect on the influence of the Cisco Systems on the development of Chinese culture. The examination system has played an important role in selecting talents and promoting social mobility, but it has also led to a serious bias in Chinese culture in natural sciences. This reminds us that in talent selection and social development, we should not focus on one standard and one direction, but should maintain a diverse perspective and balanced development strategy.
In today's society, although we have abolished the civil service system, similar problems still exist. In the field of education, for example, we focus too much on students' test scores and promotion rates, and neglect to cultivate students' ability to innovate and practice. This leads to the fact that many students lack the ability to solve practical problems and the spirit of innovation when they enter society.
We should draw lessons from history, and in the process of talent selection and education, focus on cultivating students' comprehensive qualities and innovative abilities, and encourage them to explore the mysteries of natural science and other fields. At the same time, we should also create a relaxed and inclusive social environment, so that those with talents and dreams can apply their strengths in different fields and contribute to the development of Chinese culture and the progress of natural sciences.
The examination system is like a double-edged sword, with both positive and negative aspects. And traditional Chinese medicine, in the shadow of the examination system, became a monument to the natural sciences of ancient China. It bears witness to the wisdom and courage of Chinese intellectuals and also provides valuable inspiration for our development today. Let us remember history, cherish the present, and embark on a more scientific, rational and diversified path of development in the future.
Author Bio: Liang Shijie is a senior medical practitioner in traditional Chinese medicine with an undergraduate degree. He has been engaged in traditional medicine clinical work for 24 years and has accumulated a wealth of clinical experience. Following Chen Yong, chief physician of liver disease at Beijing Traditional Medicine Hospital, affiliated with Capital Medical University, and renowned old Chinese medicine, he has been treated for many years and received great attention. He specializes in the treatment of difficult diseases using "conversational traditional therapy" and special treatments combined with the academic ideas of Jiao Shude and Guan Yubo's ten-level diagnosis.He is currently a researcher at the Shude Tang TCM Research Institute in Beijing, a fellow at the new 3 + 3 project of traditional Chinese medicine flame inheritance in Beijing - a scholar at the inheritance workstation of Jiao Shude's protégés (Chen Yong),He is a standing committee member of the International Expert Committee on E-learning and Health Care, a member of the Jiao Shude Academic Heritage Special Committee of the Chinese Association for the Advancement of Chinese Medicine Research, and the first cancer specialist to be included in the chapter of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Culture Research Association. Won the 2020 China Association for the Promotion of Traditional Chinese Medicine Zhongjing Medical Branch held the eighth session of the Medical Saint Zhongjing Nanyang Forum "Classic Prescription Famous Doctor" honorary title. The winner of the first Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei "Pingui Cup" Yanzhao Medical Research Essay Award in 2023. His work was featured in the journal Current Scientist and the journal Chinese Talent.
来源：首都专家梁世杰一点号
