文ぶん臣しん

noun

civil official; literary official

Historical term for a government official who handled literary or scholarly affairs, as opposed to military officials (武臣). Used in contexts of pre-modern East Asian courts.

• 江え戸ど時じ代だいの文ぶん臣しんは、幕ばく府ふの文もん書じょ行ぎょう政せいを担になった。

  During the Edo period, civil officials were responsible for the shogunate's documentary administration.

• 中ちゅう国ごくの王おう朝ちょうでは、科か挙きょによって文ぶん臣しんが選えらばれた。

  In Chinese dynasties, civil officials were selected through the imperial examination system.