Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the imperial examination carried out by the central authority in the chieftain region of Guangxi since the beginning of the Qing Dynasty and the process of “civilization” of the local society in response to this policy. The paper first describes the land ownership and usage based social structure and status system of the local society in the chieftain region of Guangxi,and then traces the historical development of the imperial examination and explains how the system interacted with the locals,leading to the reorganization of the society. Through examining local archives,the paper discusses how commercialization enabled local social groups to change their status and pursue equality.

Key words: imperial examination, civilization, Guangxi, Chieftain region