The Imperial University was the national school of the Song, set in the capital. The Three Halls system sorted students into three grades, the outer, inner and upper halls, with an examination to pass at each grade: those who did well moved up and those who did poorly moved down.
In 1071 (Xining 4 of the Northern Song), during Wang Anshi's reforms, the Three Halls system was introduced at the Imperial University.
In the Chongning era the Three Halls system was extended to prefectural and county schools, and for a time promotion within the schools replaced the examinations as the route to office.
In 1121 (Xuanhe 3) the Three Halls system was abolished in the prefectural and county schools and the examinations were restored; thereafter it continued only at the Imperial University.
Three Halls System is the class in the chapter on Education on promotion in the Song schools. It covers the Three Halls system introduced at the Imperial University during Wang Anshi's reforms in the Northern Song, in which students were examined in turn and moved up or down among the outer, inner and upper halls; it was extended to prefectural and county schools in the Chongning era, abolished there in 1121, and thereafter used only at the Imperial University.
