This article details Zhu Shunshui's views about the Chinese Imperial Examination System, as described to Japanese authorities and Japanese academics. The main sources of this information are his letters, responses to questions, and notes. The content of the article includes: firstly, a study and evaluation of the Imperial Examination System by the Chinese and Japanese sides; secondly, Zhu Shunshui's remarks about the subjects of the Imperial Examination System and its content; and thirdly, Zhu Shunshui's own experiences of the Imperial Examination System (taking the imperial exam, his refusal to take the Imperial exam, criticism of the Imperial Examination, and refusal to become an official). The aim is to understand the role played by Zhu Shunshui in the spread of the Imperial Examination System in Tokugawa society.