40/69 To arrive at this degree, it is necessary to pass through several others; such as that of Batchelor (_sie_, or _tsai_), of licentiate (_kiu-gin_), and of doctor (_tsing-tssee_). The two first, however, are only absolutely necessary; bur even those on whom the third is conferred obtain for a time only the government of a city of the second or third class. There are eight orders of [these] mandarins ... In short, the whole administration of the Chinese empire is entrusted to the mandarins of letters." [6] Referring to the Manchu chief Noorhachu (see _Vol_. |