明代的科舉考試在統治者高度重視下，逐漸形成嚴密的制度，也深刻影響讀書人的生命歷程。明雜劇具有濃厚的文人精神與特色，文學反映人生，本論文以明雜劇中的涉科舉情節為研究，探究其在劇情發展中的運用及呈現之思想特色，並由此見元明雜劇在此科舉情節呈現之差異。本文自《全明雜劇》、《孤本元明雜劇》、《雜劇三集》及《陌花軒雜劇》等書的三百餘本明雜劇中，搜羅其中涉科舉情節，共計三十四本；其情節運用輕重有別，或作為發展劇情之關鍵、或增添情節之曲折、或用以圓滿劇情之收結、或是呈現文人之遭遇。這些與科舉相關的劇作表現出的思想特色有：貴賤命定論、屢試不第的悲哀、放棄功名的人生省思、考試弊端的揭露等。就涉及科舉情節而言，明雜劇的數量不及元雜劇多，但情節運用之變化，明雜劇則遠較元劇豐富而多元，也充分呈現文人精神之特色。

In Yuan dynasty, the Imperial Examinations are executed strictly under considerable emphasis of the emperor. It also has deep influence on the life of the literati at that time. Literati's spirits and characteristics can be easily found in Ming Tzarjiuh. Literature thus mirrored the life at that time. This paper examines Examination plots in Ming Tzarjiuh, exploring their applications and beliefs presented in the development of different stories. It is hoped that the differences, or variations, of Examination plots in Yuan-Ming Tzarjiuh can be illuminated through this research.This paper zooms in on the Examination plots that appeared in ”The collection of Ming Tzarjiuh”, ”Extant Copies of Ming Tzarjiuh”, ”Three Episodes of Tzarjiuh”, and ”Mo Hua Xuan Tzarjiuh”, etc. (more than three hundred books on Ming Tzarjiuh); differences can be found in the emphasis of relevant plots, in the key use of these plots in the story development, in the additional plots, in the use of pleasant endings, or in the checkered career of literati. There are several characteristics that inform in these Examination-related Tzarjiuh stories, including rich and poor preordained, melancholy wrought by failure on multiple examinations, life reflections on giving up on fame, exposure of cheating on examinations. In terms of plots involving examinations, the number of Yuan Tzarjiuh eclipses that of Ming Tzarjiuh. The variety of plot use in Ming Tzarjiuh, however, ostensibly overshadows that in Yuan Tzarjiuh. This adequately reveals the literati's spirits and characteristics.