If you have the chance to go back to ancient China and ask an educated man what his biggest dream was.

如果你回到古代去问一个读书人，他最大的梦想是什么？

He would tell you that he wants to become a zhuang yuan,a title conferred on the scholar who came first in the highest imperial examination.

那他多半会告诉你，中状元。

In ancient China,it was not that easy to be an official.

在中国古代，想做官可不容易。

You have to take exams first. The exams are very difficult and have many procedures.

你要先参加考试，考试很难，要层层选拔。

The outcome has to be confirmed by the Emperor himself.

最后还要皇帝亲自确认。

The number one scholar with the best score in the imperial exam is called zhuang yuan.

最终成绩排在第一名的叫做状元。

Once you are selected as zhuang yuan you will be appreciated by the Emperor and appear in a parade downtown with a red robe and a tall,strong horse.

一旦考上状元可就风光啦，不仅会得到皇帝的赏识，还能穿红袍、骑大马在城里游行。

Zhuang yuan is referred to the elite scholars.

所以，状元都是读书人中的精英。

Now the imperial competitive examination has been cancelled for many years.

如今科举考试早就不存在了。

However,people still like to call the best person in their field a zhuang yuan.

但人们还是喜欢用状元来形容各行业的第一名。

An old saying goes that there are 360 trades and every trade has his master or zhuang yuan。

正如中国有句俗话：“三百六十行，行行出状元。”