Abstract: In the context of imperial examination, academies of classical learning in the Qing Dynasty could not afford not to stress the techniques of examination-required poetry and regulated prose composition, with some academics teaching technique for composing other forms of poetry. The purpose of turning the coarse writing into the elegant corresponded with the government's aims of promoting noble style in writing so that the technique pursuit of composing poems was not meant to be instrumental for passing the imperial examination only but also nurture the person for the country. To that end, many academies developed methods that focused on the study of canonical works. After a survey of the methods, the paper explains that Qing-dynasty academies had found the inner theoretical relationships between poetry and eight-part essays which helped to redress the over-emphasis on the eight-part essay. In some academies, the examination preparation lessons had also academic contents such as critical analysis of literary texts, which eventually contributed to the progress of textual study learning in the Qing Dynasty.

Key words: academies of classical learning, the Qing Dynasty, writing for the imperial examination, imperial examination, textual study