Hanlin Academy

The Hanlin Academy (Chinese: 翰林院; pinyin: Hànlín Yuàn; literally: "Brush Wood Court") was an academic and administrative institution founded in the eighth-century Tang China by Emperor Xuanzong.

Membership in the academy was confined to an elite group of scholars, who performed secretarial and literary tasks for the court. One of its main duties was to decide on an interpretation of the Chinese classics. This formed the basis of the Imperial examinations, which aspiring bureaucrats had to pass to attain higher level posts. Painters working for the court were also attached to the academy.

Some of the more famous academicians of Hanlin were:

The title Wujing boshi was created in the Han dynasty. Holders of the title were considered part of Hanlin.

A Ming dynasty Emperor granted a hereditary title within the Hanlin academy to a descendant of Mencius.

A Ming Emperor awarded the office of Wujing boshi to the southern branch of the Duke Yansheng (descendants of Confucius) at Quzhou, while the northern branch at Qufu retained the title Duke Yansheng.

In 1452 Wujing Boshi was bestowed upon the offspring of Mengzi-Meng Xiwen 孟希文 56th generation and Yan Hui-Yan Xihui 顔希惠 59th generation, the same was bestowed on the offspring of Zhou Dunyi-Zhou Mian 週冕 12th generation, the two Cheng brothers (Cheng Hao and Cheng Yi-Chen Keren 程克仁 17th generation), Zhu Xi-Zhu Ting 朱梴 (Zhu Chan?) 9th generation, in 1456-1457, in 1539 the same was awarded to Zeng Can's offspring-Zeng Zhicui 曾質粹 60th generation, in 1622 the offspring of Zhang Zai received the title and in 1630 the offspring of Shao Yong. Biographies of those who were awarded the title of Wujing Boshi in the Ming dynasty are found in Volume 284, Biographies 172 of the History of Ming ().

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