Observation on Test-Oriented EFL Teaching and Learning in China---From a Perspective of Imperial Examination System and the Confucian Idea "Go into the Society"

The Confucian philosophy of "go into the society" emphasizes the involvement in social affairs and the practical use of knowledge. As the ruling thought of the feudal system after Han Dynasty (202 B.C. to A.D.220), this philosophical idea had motivated ancient scholars to shoulder social responsibility and actively participate in national affairs. Founded in Sui Dynasty (A.D. 581 to A.D. 630), the Imperial Examination System provided the perfect channel for especially ordinary Chinese male to move upward. Numerous ancient scholars became officials in local and central governments to manage the country with the Confucian education they received. This pattern of achieving social mobility through exams was inherited and represented by the contemporary national exams in China. To do well in exams like Gaokao means more opportunities to enjoy better educational and occupational resources. Though educational reforms are happening, test-oriented EFL teaching and learning is still prevalent in classrooms of China.