彰化自雍正初年設置儒學以來，即被賦予「建學立師，以彰王化」的使命。彰化士子亦不負眾望，於科舉考試屢獲佳績，在臺灣科舉史上具有重要成就。本研究以彰化縣儒學為中心，從官方的立場，就縣學選拔生員、培植生員、舉行學禮及生員出路等議題，探討其在教育體制上的運作方式。經研究發現清代彰化縣學，共約錄取1,378名文生員和488名武生員。文、武生員進入儒學後，必須接受講習、考課，遵守學校規範，修養個人品性，參與學宮各項禮儀。經過儒學校的教育後，優秀生員可以出貢，參與鄉、會試，邁向另一仕途高峰。隨著彰化科舉士人的增加，彰化已由清初的「移墾社會」，逐漸地走向「儒學化」，並造就日後具有地方色彩的文化風貌。

Ever since the government schools were established in Changhua County in the early years of Emperor Yung Cheng, Changhua has played an important role in spreading Confucian principles of imperial grace and mercy and cultivating the educated class. The people of Changhua always succeeded in the imperial examinations, which was also a significant achievement in the history of these examinations. This paper will focus on Changhua’s local government schools from an official perspective, investigating how these schools worked within the educational system. With the increasing numbers of people who succeeded in the imperial examinations, one could see a localized Changhua cultural climate being created: for example, we see this in the emergence of the Sheng-yuan. In the article, such questions will be discussed as how the officials chose the Sheng-yuan, how those Sheng-yuan were cultivated, how the polite ceremonies were held, and the future of the Sheng-yuan.