Chapter Twenty: The Hall of Geniuses

After entering the Hall of Geniuses, Li Zisheng’s field of vision immediately broadened. He had never imagined that such a small doorway would lead to such a vast space. Beyond the door stood four rows of lodgings, each row containing four classrooms. Li Zisheng noticed a plaque at the entrance.

Presumably, this was the introduction to the Hall of Geniuses. The plaque stated that the hall was divided into three ranks: Heaven, Earth, and Man. The first to third rows corresponded to the Man, Earth, and Heaven ranks respectively. Each student in the Hall of Geniuses was assigned a private room, unlike the other two halls where eight students shared a dormitory.

Within the three ranks, the Heaven rank had one class, the Earth rank had two, and the Man rank had three. An advancement system was in place: any student, new or old, who met the requirements for promotion during the monthly examinations could advance to the next rank. If one achieved first place in the Heaven rank, they would be directly recommended to the Provincial Academy’s Genius Hall for further study.

As Li Zisheng was reading the plaque, a scholar in pale moon-colored robes approached.

“You must be the new student,” the scholar said with a warm smile.

“Greetings, senior. My name is Li Zisheng, and I’ve just enrolled this year,” Li Zisheng replied.

“Haha, I’ve long heard that Master Cheng has recruited an exceptionally bright prodigy named Li Zisheng. Only eight years of age, yet already versed in the arts of medicine and literature, both with remarkable accomplishment. Seeing you today, you indeed have an extraordinary presence.” The scholar’s eyes crinkled with his smile.

“You flatter me, senior. My teacher’s praise is far too generous. I am hardly worthy of such distinction,” Li Zisheng replied humbly, knowing it was wise to be modest as a newcomer in unfamiliar surroundings.

“All right, junior. You’ve already seen the introduction plaque. I am Yan Ziqing, head of the Man rank in the Hall of Geniuses. Master Cheng asked me to look after you. Come with me—I’ll take you to your quarters. Your belongings, academy attire, and accessories have all been delivered already. Come, let’s go.” Yan Ziqing led the way, explaining the basics of the Hall of Geniuses as they walked. Thanks to his introduction, Li Zisheng gained a general understanding of the place.

The Hall of Geniuses had been established during the reign of Emperor Taizong, personally founded by the sovereign. It was divided into three halls—Literary Talent, Martial Talent, and Genius—across county, provincial, and national academies. At the national level, the Imperial Academy comprised six branches: the National Academy, the Grand Academy, the Four Gates Academy, the Law Academy, the Calligraphy Academy, and the Mathematics Academy, each responsible for different official appointments.

Of course, the Imperial Academy was the place where the nobility and the children of high officials studied. Yet, out of benevolence, Emperor Taizong had instituted the advancement system within the Hall of Geniuses. This allowed talented youths from humble backgrounds to be recommended from county to provincial Genius Halls and, through further recommendation, to enter the Imperial Academy itself—an unbroken path of advancement for the deserving.

Yan Ziqing himself was such a case—a youth of modest origins, yet with notable talent, thus admitted to the county-level Genius Hall and eventually becoming the head of his rank, all of which laid the foundation for a future official career. However, if one failed to advance, at best, they would serve in county posts, never rising beyond the seventh rank, destined to remain minor officials for life.

“Junior, these are the Man-rank dormitories. Each student has a private room, three meals a day are provided free of charge, and there’s a dedicated dining hall for each rank; ours is the Man-rank dining hall. The latrines are behind the dormitories and clearly marked. More details are in the enrollment guide on your desk. It also explains the curriculum and advancement system thoroughly. If you need anything, just come find me in the dormitory at the far right.” With these instructions, Yan Ziqing took his leave.

Li Zisheng inspected his room. The layout was simple, but the table, chairs, and stools were all in order. On the desk lay the academy’s clothing and accessories, along with a slim volume entitled Rules for New Students.

The manual was divided into three sections. Li Zisheng flipped straight to the part about the Hall of Geniuses.

The mighty Tang Empire, rich in talent, had established the Hall of Geniuses to gather the best minds in the land, nurturing them with the nation’s full support to ensure the enduring prosperity of the realm.

The Hall of Geniuses was divided into three ranks: Heaven, Earth, and Man. Within its walls, all were judged not by birth but by ability, treated as equals. Of course, Li Zisheng took this as little more than a jest—under feudal systems, true equality with the nobility was but an illusion, as history had shown time and again.

These basics were already known to him, so he skipped ahead to the curriculum and the advancement and reward systems.

Every month, the Hall held examinations. The top three in the Man rank received silver prizes of ten, eight, and six taels respectively. If the first-place student opted for the advancement exam, they would forgo the prize and compete with the last-place student of the Earth rank; if they surpassed the latter, they would be promoted directly. The system was similar for the Earth rank, with prizes of twenty, eighteen, and fifteen taels. The top three in the Heaven rank would be recommended by the county or provincial Genius Halls for further study at the provincial academy.

Reading this, Li Zisheng realized how refined the advancement system was—a rigorous national selection that left little room for loopholes. He wondered what sort of world awaited in the fabled Imperial Academy.

Most striking to Li Zisheng, as someone born in a later era, was his awareness of the sheer number of brilliant poets and scholars in Tang times. Yet, among so many dazzling talents, few ever attained official rank or earned the title of Champion Scholar.

With such a system, the nation pooled its resources to nurture talent, offering abundant opportunities for learning. Relying merely on a few poems to make a name for oneself might bring renown, but when it came to official appointments, it would not be enough.

Li Zisheng laughed at himself. How naïve he had been, thinking a handful of poems could let him dominate the Tang. Such a notion was childish indeed. Under this model, it was no wonder that even Li Bai and Du Fu—whom he knew so well—struggled to win the top honors or gain high office.

The Hall of Geniuses focused on cultivating well-rounded individuals, offering courses in rites, music, law, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. These disciplines were drawn from the “Guardian” chapter of the Rites of Zhou, which taught the six arts: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.

Li Zisheng read with keen interest. On his plaque, the front bore the words “Hall of Geniuses,” while the back was inscribed with “Man Rank.” Clearly, his journey had only just begun; this was merely the Genius Hall of a county academy, and he was at the lowest level. He wondered what marvels the national academies, as described in the manual, might hold.