In the chih-k'o or government service examination under Sung, which was held in the 3rd year of Hsi-ning (1070 A.D.), K'ung Wen-chung, who belonged to the opposition clique, severely criticised Wang An-shih's policy. Thereupon, Wang An-shih advised Emperor Shen-tsung to reject K'ung Wen-chung as well as to abolish the chih-k'o itself. Meanwhile, Wang An-shih resigned as Prime Minister, and Lu Hui-ch'ing, one of his faithful followers, was appointed to succeed him. In spite of strong protest on the part of the opposition clique Lu was successful to abolish the chih-k'o system in 1074, A.D. When Emperor Cheh-tsung acceded to the throne in 1086, the Yuan-yu clique defeated the Hsi-ning clique, and the chih-k'o system was restored in the following year. Seven years later, when Emperor Cheh-tsung began to favour the Chih-ning clique, he agreed to abolish the chih-k'o system again in response to the request of Chang Tun. As seen in the above, the vicissitudes of the chih-k'o system are closely related with those of the political cliques
