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Zhuangyuan (pinyin: zhuàngyuan) or Number One Scholar was the title given to the scholar who achieved the highest score on highest level of the Chinese Imperial Examinations. In addition to the career in the imperial government which all who passed the same test would enjoy, those who attained the title of Zhuangyuan also enjoyed a great deal of prestige.

In modern Chinese, zhuangyuan is used to refer to anyone who achieves the highest mark on a test, or, more generally, to anyone who is at the forefront of his or her field.

Evolution of the Term
The first use of the term Zhuangyuan came during the Tang Dynasty. The term's exact meaning changed a bit in each subsequent dynasty.

Cultural Impact
The title of Zhuangyuan came with a lot of prestige and, since the test to become a Zhuangyuan was open to the public, in theory anyone had the opportunity to attain it. As such...

Impact on Literature
Because of the great prestige associated with the title of Zhuangyuan, it also inspired literary characters...

Statistics
In total, there were 596 Zhuanyuan.

Noteworthy Zhuangyuan

 * Mo Xuanqing
 * Sun Fujia
 * Tang Gao
 * and many more