(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-09-14 14:45

SHENYANG - A Chinese researcher has uncovered evidence that diplomas and government posts were like any other merchandise in feudal society, because they came with a receipt and discounts.

Cheng Dakun, a researcher with the archives of Northeast China's Liaoning Province, has documents showing 31-year-old Xiao Cefan, spent 32 liang (ancient measurement) of silver in 1898, when Emperor Guangxu ruled, and bought a diploma that "made" him a "student of the imperial college", the first step to entering the political arena.

Two years later, Xiao spent similar amount of money and got himself a low-level government post as an inspector. Both practices were recorded on two receipts now kept at the archives.

"But other accounts showed the market prices for the two 'commodities' were about 100 liang of silver. I think Xiao got the discount because the market had gotten bearish with so many posts on offer," Cheng said.

Peddling official titles for money was a way for the emperors to boost state revenue. "The practice was so popular that the government posts started to depreciate. As the market slumped, they began to offer discounts," Cheng said.