'eight bone text')[1] was a style of essay in imperial examinations during the Ming and Qing dynasties in China.

In certain times, the candidates were expected to spontaneously compose poetry upon a set theme, whose value was also sometimes questioned, or eliminated as part of the test material.

[1][2] The eight "legs" refer to the eight sections (literally "bones") of the essay that form its basic structure.

"[1] The roots of the eight-legged essay likely came from a different rhetorical form called Jingyi which was made by reformer and poet Wang Anshi (1021–1086), in the eleventh century.

[1] This eventually led to the form known as qǐchéngzhuǎnhé (起承轉合) which then evolved into the eight-legged essay in the Ming Dynasty (1368 CE–1644 CE).

[1][5] The term "eight-legged essay" formally appeared during the early years of the Chenghua Emperor's reign (1464–1487) for the first time.

[4][7] In total, the eight-legged essay was included in China's civil service examination for the past several hundred years and thus assumed a historically important role.

[2][9] Writers were also advised to circumvent the use of offensive vocabulary and clues that can point to their identity or social status.

Qǐjiǎng: You Ruo spoke from profundity the idea of the oneness of the ruler and the people in his advice to Duke Ai.

Hòugǔ: The sacrificial animals and ritual cereals are plentiful to be used in religious offerings; and the jades and silks are abundant to be used as tributes and diplomatic gifts.

Food and delicacies, beefs and drinks are abundant for entertainment of state guests; carriages and horses, arms and equipment are enough for the preparation of wars and defense.

The establishment of the tithe was originally for the good of the people, but in this very usage lies the sufficiency of national expenditure.

I have not time to be like Mo Zi who joyfully sacrifices himself for others: I simply stop short of being an egoist.

Dàjié: If Mencius had not demonstrated this with his eloquence, then most people would have thought that Zi Mo was able to be one with the Way.

There are two types of printing and publishing related to the eight-legged essay, one for the exams themselves and the other for public purposes.

[1] The public printing, publishing, and dissemination of the essays prompted more people to be interested candidates of the civil service examination during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

[2] A scholar named Tian Qilin defended the eight-legged essay by arguing that it embodies the complex Chinese cultural and literary tradition.

[8] As early as the 17th century, the form's adoption was blamed for the decline of classical poetry and prose during the Ming dynasty.

[citation needed] The critic Wu Qiao wrote that "people exhausted themselves on the eight-legged essay, and poetry was only composed with their spare energy.

"[citation needed] Writing at the same time, the political theorist and philosopher Huang Zongxi echoed these sentiments.

[2] According to some, the eight-legged essay has been associated with the "petrification in Chinese literature" and "China's cultural stagnation and economic backwardness.