The bottom basis for the Chinese royal Exams was that the nominee to civil service position was not to be chosen through special or passed down permission, but through a person's own abilities. For centuries, the might of China was made in a military form,by emperors from unassuming origins who had dropped existing dynasties. Once in control, these emperors soon found out that the actual controller of China would need the deciding services of thousands of government officials. The civil service exam was for creating such a body of men, and it became a important strategy that was challenged by France and Britain in the nineteenth century when these countries began needing public servants for their royal boundary. Confucian ideas of participation, respect, and equality of oppurtunity played a big part in the Civil Service Exam that was used to recruit people into this system. Confucian of participation meant that everybody could participate in the examination and if they passed it, they could participate in their civil service position. Confucian of respect meant that everybody had to be respected, the boss and the employee. Finally, confucian of equality means that you can take the test, if you pass you can get the job, and you will be treated the same as other people there. Even if you speak a different language, are a different race, have a different culture, or have a religon that no other worker has.At the national level exams, candidates were examined on the ability to analyze instant political problems in addition to the exams based on the Classics. There were also additional special exams that were held occasionally by royal decree. The less important exams were those that were held to exam candidates in law, calligraphy, state ritual and military skills. The success rates of these exams were small. During the Tang Dynasty the passing rate was about two percent. The personal suffering that individuals underwent both in the preparation and in the taking of these exams has become part of Chinese myths. Candidates were known to repeatedly fail exams. Some committed suicide because of the disgrace that these failures brought to their families. Others continued taking exams even as very old, grey-haired men. For those who rose through the ranks by passing these exams and being selected for administrative positions, it meant that their clans or families also rose in social prestige and wealth.