Tā chūshēn hánmén, zài jiǎngjiu ménfá de shídài hěn nán chūtóu.
Born into a humble family, he found it hard to rise in an age obsessed with pedigree.
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history
From the Wei-Jin period to the Tang, office went largely by birth: a few great families, such as the 王 and 谢 clans, held power for centuries, while men from 寒门 'cold gates' were shut out. The imperial examinations, 科举, slowly broke their hold.
