Novels like A Scholar from a Humble Home
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Scholar from a Humble Home, best match first.
- 1 Going Back to Ancient Times to Take the Imperial Exams 回到古代考科举 [Imperial exams] + [officialdom] + [getting rich] + [sweet romance] Jin Yu had always been the kind of student other parents pointed to as an example. He studied straight through to a postdoctoral degree, finishing at the age of twenty-five. Books had always been his companions. Fortunately, he didn't dislike studying. In fact, he loved it. One day, he transmigrated into the body of an ordinary farm boy. He was too weak to carry a shoulder pole or lift a load. In the end, he still had to rely on 16Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 2 The Imperial Exams: I'm the Top Scholar from a Humble Family 科举，我是寒门状元 By a stroke of luck, Chen Zi’ang transmigrated to the Great Qing Dynasty. See how this son of a farming family relies on his own efforts to pass the imperial exams and become the top scholar… 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 A Poor Scholar’s Road to Becoming the Top Graduate 寒门子弟之状元之路 Chen Fan was an utterly ordinary college student in the modern world. By chance, he transmigrates to ancient times. Watch as he leads his family to prosperity while taking the imperial exams and trying his hand at becoming a top scholar. 55Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 4 You There, Get Yourself to the Imperial Exams! 小子，快给爷科考去 [Imperial Exams + Everyday Life + Farming and Prosperity + Powerful Officials] Fang Yuan transmigrated to a dynasty called Anshun. He found himself in a place called Chang Family Village, where the villagers were simple and good-hearted, and everyone stood together. Fang Yuan had planned to lie flat and live out his days there. But in this life, his grandfather fell so ill that he nearly died. As he made his final arrangements, his greatest wish was for Fang Yuan to study and take the imperial e 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Transmigrating Onto the Ancient Imperial Exam Path 穿越古代科举路 A girl from modern society arrives in ancient times. Though she sometimes wished she could become a man, now she really has turned into one. To make a good life for himself in ancient times, he first has to pass the imperial exams. So he has no choice but to keep taking them, again and again. 2Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 6 Striving Forward 奋进 This is not an accident, nor is it the end. It is a brand-new beginning. Only by continuing forward can we find hope. Not everyone enjoys hardship and toil. You need a goal in your heart to keep moving forward. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 Who Can Out-Grind Me in the Imperial Exams? 科举卷王谁怕谁 Six-year-old Chen Yong'an lies sprawled across the trunk of a large willow tree by the river, his head and limbs dangling limply as he drifts in and out of consciousness. His whole body feels cold and soaked, and something is digging into his chest and stomach. He tries desperately to turn over, but can't summon any strength. His stomach churns, and he chokes up another mouthful of murky river water... Chen Yong'an has just graduated from his master's program when he transmigrates to a farming 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 A Farm Boy’s Journey to the Imperial Exams 农家娃的科举生涯 Li Shan is born into ancient times with memories from before, but he has amnesia. Even so, the belief that he must study, despite growing up poor, is etched into his bones. In the end, this impoverished family, mocked by everyone, really does produce an official. He brings prosperity to the community and grows into a great figure renowned throughout the history books... A heads-up: The author came up with many of the settings, systems, and so on on the spur of the moment. Readers who care about 221Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 9 Xu Erlang's Road to the Imperial Exams 徐家二郎的科举之路 After an accident, Xu Xu, a modern university student majoring in traditional Chinese medicine, transmigrated to an ancient farming family. To give himself and his family a better life and keep them safe, he embarked on the long road of the imperial examinations. He passed and became a county magistrate in a remote region, eventually rising to the highest ranks of government. 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 Taking the Imperial Exams in Great Qian 我在大乾考科举 Kong Jin, a farmer's son, spends ten years studying and finally earns top honors in the imperial examinations. But after making too many enemies, he is framed by villains and his entire family is executed. Reborn, he is determined to turn the whole world upside down! 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 I Couldn't Bear to See My Parents Taken Advantage Of, So I Became the Top Scholar 心疼爹娘太老实，科举考个状元郎 Male lead: Shen Qingshi The male lead has no System or pocket dimension, but comes with PUA skills. Even the most arrogant can be turned into a lackey. In his previous life, Shen Qingshi had just achieved financial freedom when his soul transmigrated into the body of a peasant boy in ancient times. His grandparents doted on no one, his parents were both doormats, and his third uncle was a leech who couldn't even pass the examination to become a scholar. Fine, whoever wants to be a doormat can be 1.6kReads7.6Score15114d adds
- 12 The Poor Call Me Master, While the Righteous Condemn My Heresy 寒门尊我为师，清流怒斥邪说误人 [Transmigration + Imperial Exams + Business + Court Intrigue + Daily Life + Rise from Humble Beginnings] Transmigrating is hell from the start: my mother died young, my father ran off, our family property was seized, and my sick grandmother and I were driven into a shack by our wicked relatives. How could I put up with that?! From the start, I split from the family, found powerful allies, and offered business plans that made us a fortune. I used a modern perspective to interpret the classics, an —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Regretting My College Entrance Exam in My Past Life, I Fulfill My Wish in the Imperial Exams This Life 前世高考之憾，今世科举得愿 No System, no golden finger, and no womanizing. A soul disillusioned with modern life is reborn in a body in the Great Xia Dynasty. In his previous life, he made a living delivering food; in this one, he intends to give this decaying dynasty a chance at rebirth. The dynasty's institutions closely resemble those of the late Ming. Its deep-rooted ills are compounded by corrupt officials wreaking havoc within and powerful enemies circling beyond its borders. Chaos reigns, and the people suffer. Wit —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 The Imperial Examination Path of a Lazybones in Ancient Times 咸鱼古代的科举路 In the modern world, Gu Qin spent every day exhausting himself over work, slaving away for his company until one day he suddenly died at his desk. But what he never expected was that he would be reincarnated. In his new life, his grandparents doted on him, his parents cherished him, and his older sister looked after him. Gu Qin only wanted to lie flat. Luckily, his family was well-off, so he figured he could just take it easy this time. Unfortunately, misfortune can strike at any moment. To avoi 127Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 15 The Centurion's Qilin Son 百夫长的麒麟子 Chen Zhan, a newly graduated PhD in chemistry, was enjoying a vacation before starting work at a university when a glass walkway suddenly shattered. He then found himself occupying the body of Chen Zhan, the frail son of a centurion stationed at a border camp. From then on, a military family that could never find the right words and always lost arguments finally had someone who could speak for them. To stop his father from actually punching a civil official's head clean off, Chen Zhan swore: I'l 1.7kReads7.8Score20114d adds
- 16 A Village Boy's Road to the Imperial Exams 山村小子的科举之路 Lin Yuan is a farmer's son who transmigrates to a remote mountain village in an alternate ancient China. His family is poor and makes a living by farming. Born prematurely, he is frail, but as the only son, he is treasured by his grandparents. Lin Yuan possesses supernatural abilities and an eidetic memory, giving him an advantage on the road to the imperial examinations. In this world, examinees advance through ranks from child licentiate to top scholar. He sets out on his journey, undaunted by 145Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 Top Scorer in All Six Imperial Exams, and You Call Him a Good-for-Nothing? 六元及第，你说他是废柴 Cheng Ye, a modern inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, was reborn into the Great Qian dynasty, a realm unrecorded in history. In an age when everything was considered inferior to scholarship, watch him use the knowledge he gained in his previous life to lead his family from utter poverty to becoming the richest in Great Qian, and rise from a farmer’s son to the dynasty’s chief minister. P.S. There is no female lead. The story features plenty of delicious food and many forms of intangible 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 The Eight-Gui Clan 八桂世家 In the early years of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign, the fires of war spread across Guangxi as the Mo clan beneath Mount Zijin was swept into the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. To preserve the ancestral shrine and keep the family rites alive, clan leader Mo Wenhua maneuvers between Qing forces demanding provisions and Taiping troops recruiting soldiers. Some young men in the clan join the Taiping army in search of a way forward, while others stay behind to guard the ancestral home and protect —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 The Mo Clan Rises Amid the Tumult of the Late Qing 烽起清末莫氏崛起 In the twenty-ninth year of the Daoguang reign, a severe drought struck Guangxi. The land was strewn with the dead, and the flames of rebellion were already spreading in secret at Jintian. Mo Zhenbang, a modern graduate student of Qing history, opens his eyes to find himself a scholar of the Mo clan in Beiliu County, Wuzhou Prefecture. He inherits a complete mess: “eight hundred mu of poor fields with falling yields, a thousand clansmen waiting to be fed, and a fifty-tael loan shark pounding on 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 My Precious Grandson's Journey to the Imperial Exams 宝贝孙子的科举之路 My grandma is what everyone calls a nightmare, but she absolutely dotes on me and gives me anything I want. In that case, I'll make sure she gets to live a life free of worries, with fine clothes and plenty to eat. (No romance between people of the same sex. None. Any mentions of it early on are just a misunderstanding.) 4Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 21 This Young Scholar Is a Little Whiz at Making Money 这个小书生是个致富小能手 After an accident, Xu Duo transmigrated and became the youngest son in a poor farming family. In an era when people went hungry and cold, yet his parents insisted that he study to change his fate, all he wanted was to gradually become a little landowner who never had to worry about food or clothing, honor his parents, get along with his brothers, and marry a wife and have two children. That would be a life of effortless success. 518Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 22 Transmigrating to a Farming Family to Take the Imperial Exams, I Gradually Ascend to Heaven 穿越农门考科举，我逐步登天 [The animated dramas From Farm Boy to General Who Pins Down the Xiongnu, The Imperial Examinations of a Farm Boy, and Sixfold Top Honors are now available. Give them a try!] [The early part of this book focuses on the imperial examinations, the middle on reclaiming lost territory, and the later part on expanding overseas.] In his previous life, Lin Yun died suddenly from overwork. He never expected to be reborn into a poor farming family in the Great Jing Dynasty. From being mocked by his aunt f 33.8kReads8.4Score2.7k14d adds
- 23 The Imperial Examinations: Rising from a Humble Background 科举：从寒门开始崛起 Watch as Yang Yi rises from an ordinary commoner, step by step, to the pinnacle of power. The first part focuses mainly on his journey through the imperial examinations, while the later part follows his career in government. The more he suffers early on, the more wildly he strikes back later. 66Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 24 Great Ming: At My First Imperial Exam, I Made the Candidates Cry 大明：首次科举，我把考生看哭了 Transmigrating to the Great Ming, he meets Zhu Yuanzhang. The moment he opens his mouth: Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kil 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 A Farmer’s Son and His Daily Life in the Imperial Exam World 农家子的科举日常 Lin Nianjun, a modern woman with an unyielding spirit, transmigrates to an unfamiliar ancient farming household. Even more bizarrely, she has transmigrated into a man’s body. The farming family she finds herself in lives in poverty and hardship. But Lin Nianjun knows that only knowledge can change one’s fate, so she resolutely sets her sights on the imperial examinations. Along the way, she finds familial affection, friendship, and the bond between teacher and student. For the first time in th 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 Great-Grandpa's Spirit Appeared and Insisted I Transmigrate to Qing-Dynasty China to Become the Top Scholar 太爷显灵，非要我穿越清朝考状元 [Transmigration + Political Intrigue + Cutting-Edge Technology + Multiple Heroines. Outsmart everyone and get a thrill that makes your scalp tingle!] Chen Liancheng, Guangzhou's wildest tech genius! A Tsinghua PhD, the leading expert in brain-computer interfaces, and a million-yuan-a-year earner, he developed an AI chip that could turn the human brain into a supercomputer in an instant. And he himself became its very first test subject! During Qingming ancestral rites, a thunderstorm struck his 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 The Poor Scholar Becomes Chief Councilor: From Calligrapher to the Greatest Chancellor in History 寒门首辅：从卖字书生到千古一相 When he opened his eyes, Su Changqing had become the poorest scholar in Qiantang County. His home was bare, his younger sister was gravely ill and near death, and his landlord was blocking the door with a butcher's knife, demanding payment... To stay alive, he had no choice but to set aside a scholar's pride and open a stall at the docks, writing for others for a coin a character. With strokes as sharp as iron and silver, he captured every warmth and hardship of the human world! From a penniless 54Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 28 The System Forces Me to Take the Imperial Exams 系统逼我考科举 After transmigrating to ancient times, the System orders me to take the imperial examinations. If I don't, it shocks me. What am I supposed to do? After being beaten down by the System, Song Yun sheds tears of humiliation. With no other choice, he studies day and night, eventually becoming the chief minister of the court and governing the realm. 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 Transmigrated as a Farmer's Son, I Top the Exams and Become Emperor 穿越成农家子六元及第当皇帝 The protagonist, Yang Xuanche, transmigrates to a parallel world and an ancient dynasty that never existed in history. Born into a poor farming family, he relies on his modern knowledge to rise step by step. He sweeps all six imperial examinations, earns a noble title, and becomes a chancellor. He then uses his modern knowledge to improve people’s lives and vigorously develop the country’s industry and military, making it ever more prosperous. Eventually, he discovers that he is the emperor’s le 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 Born to Humble Beginnings, I Defy Heaven Itself 出身皆微末我自逆苍天 This is a comeback full of cracks. It is not about conquering social classes or currying favor with the powerful, but about holding on to your truest self as you are crushed at every turn. When he finally reaches the top, he still dares to look back into the abyss and softly tell the twelve-year-old kiln worker’s son: “I got you out, but I didn’t become one of them.” Welcome to A Humble Birth, Yet I Defy Heaven. Discover how someone born into obscurity learns to become his own light through wind 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 A Lazy Village Boy Becomes a Minor Official 摸鱼村童当小官 [Country boy + comedy + no System + no golden finger + slow development + the imperial examinations might not work out] The protagonist transmigrates into the body of a village boy named Li Erhu. His family is desperately poor, so he likes going to the river at the village entrance with the other children to catch fish and help make ends meet. He's pretty good at it, and even the girl next door praises him. But one thing after another makes him realize that catching fish in the river won't give 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 The Chief Grand Secretary 当朝首辅 A historical slice-of-life novel about getting rich and preparing for the imperial examinations. The pacing is slow, so please don’t complain if that’s not your thing. Thank you! Heaven itself has a heart. Who is making all that noise? Step onto the stage and weigh the people’s will. 2Reads7.8Score—14d adds
- 33 The Unlucky Fool Becomes a Judge in Ancient Times 倒霉蛋回到古代当法官 [Ensemble cast + System + alternate world] If you don't like it, click the X in the top left and move on. No need to complain. A bolt of heavenly lightning sends Li Xiaosi to an unknown ancient world, where he's tasked with making a name for himself in the history books. Why should he do what he's told? Just as he's about to say something nasty, another bolt of lightning booms overhead. Fine, he's the most obedient, well-behaved little darling there is. But after all the bad luck he had in the m —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 The Imperial Examination 科举 The examination hall was packed, with everyone seated. I clutched the wooden strip hidden in my sleeve, covered in answers. My palm was already soaked with sweat. After today, if I pass the imperial examinations and come out on top, I will no longer be the lowly stable hand everyone looks down on in the Ji household. But this is my first time smuggling in answers, after all. It's only natural that I feel a little uneasy. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 A Farmer’s Son’s Daily Struggle to Succeed in the Imperial Exams 农家子科举奋斗日常 Born into a farming family in an unknown dynasty, Zhao Jue looked at his tiny arms and legs and thought, Farming was out of the question. In this age where scholars ranked above farmers, artisans, and merchants, and learning was considered the noblest pursuit, he’d better work hard at his studies… 220Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 36 Zhao Wulang's Struggles in Ancient Times 赵五郎古代奋斗史 Zhao Xin transmigrates to the unfamiliar Great Qian Dynasty! His family has borrowed money from all over to save him, but when he wakes, his creditors are already at the door demanding repayment. See how Zhao Xin saves his family. Watch Zhao Xin use bread to lead the villagers to prosperity. 164Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 37 Transmigration: From the Imperial Exams to Chief Grand Secretary 穿越：从科举开始的内阁首辅之路 An ordinary university student transmigrates into the son of a small landowner in ancient times. He takes the imperial exams and enters government service under the Great Feng dynasty, rising through the ranks step by step. Of all pursuits, study is supreme. “What? Young Master Wang has passed the county-level scholar exam!” “Young Master Wang really is impressive!” “Scholar Wang has passed the provincial exam and become a juren!” “I hear Wang, the top scholar in the provincial exam, passed the 38Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 From Kitchen Worker to Imperial Exam Candidate 穿成灶户考科举 After transmigrating into the past as a “stove worker,” she lives at a saltworks in poverty. She had thought that working hard might let her become a salt merchant, but the ancient world has a rigid class system, and the only way to change her family's fate is through the imperial examinations. See how Ling Xiao, having transmigrated from the modern era, takes the imperial examinations while leading her family to prosperity, making her way from the saltworks to officialdom and gradually changing 640Reads7.2Score10614d adds
- 39 Build a Fortune and Pass the Imperial Exams 发家致富考科举 [No System or golden finger, one heroine, not a wish-fulfillment story, realistic] Xie Fan is a hopelessly single exam nerd, a useless graduate of a top university, and a slacker at a major organization. He enjoys a carefree life of choosing to lie flat. After an unexpected death, he returns to a parallel world in the Ming Dynasty, reborn as the son of a landlord. But life in a landlord’s household turns out to be no easier. To make ends meet, he sets out on the path of the imperial examinations 1kReads8.6Score10314d adds
- 40 You Broke Off Our Engagement When I Failed the Exams. Now I've Topped Them, So Why Are You Crying? 落榜你提退婚，我高中状元你哭啥 Imperial examination story + fallen child prodigy + good-for-nothing’s rise to success + no System + nonstop thrills! The child prodigy Fang Zhongyong could write poetry at five and passed the county-level exam at eight, earning fame far and wide! The wealthy Zhou family came to curry favor with him, arranging for their daughter Zhou Liuliu to be betrothed to Fang Zhongyong. Under the pretext that their family had a private tutor to teach him, they tricked him into moving to their home. But they 858Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 41 A Country Boy’s Ups and Downs in the Imperial Exams 农家小子科举浮沉记 By a stroke of bad luck, he transmigrates into the cherished child of a man from the northwest, with a mysterious, aloof first stepmother, a hardworking second stepmother, and a sister who might be sold off at the drop of a hat. He studies late into the night, vowing to climb the ladder to success. (The protagonist is no saint or god. He can be selfish, and he’ll have his share of heartache over love.) (The female lead is neither sweet and cute nor gentle and soft-spoken. She’s a talkative, conf 849Reads8.2Score10014d adds
- 42 From Humble Beginnings to Minister of State 布衣卿相寒门崛起 A poor scholar’s spirit rings clear, his pen splitting the heavens! When Lin Shen wakes, he finds himself in a thatched hut with a leaking roof. Before him lies his mother, at death’s door and worn to the bone; his young brother is coughing up blood, barely alive; outside, rapacious creditors kick at the door, demanding payment and threatening their lives! In this cruel world, are the poor truly no more than blades of grass? He will wield modern knowledge as a blade and turn the world upside dow 53Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 You Sold My Beloved Wife? I'll Rule the Court Through the Imperial Exams! 卖我娇妻？我靠科举权倾朝野！ [Transmigrator Reborn + No System + Imperial Examinations + Political Intrigue] “I'll kill them all!” That was Li Yu's first thought when he woke up. After transmigrating, Li Yu was betrayed by his parents and family. His newlywed wife was sold and disfigured. He used a transmigrator's knowledge, far beyond that of the ancient world, to build wealth, but was cruelly oppressed by the powerful. His whole life was a tragedy! But just when all seemed lost, he was reborn. The moment he opens h 344Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 44 A Farmer's Son's Road to the Imperial Exams in Ming Hongwu's Reign 农家子在大明洪武科举之路 [Imperial examinations + transmigration + no System + one heroine] An engineer unexpectedly transmigrates to the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, taking over the body of a farmer's son from the Jiang family in Qingshui Village, De'an County, Jiujiang Prefecture. Looking at his family's dilapidated thatched hut, bare of all furnishings, Jiang Xiangwen quietly considers his options. In an age when "all pursuits are inferior to studying," how can he change his fate through education and achieve the —Reads—Score114d adds
- 45 The He Clan's Palace Graduate 何氏传胪 [Imperial examinations + business + farming + native protagonist + romance] Born into a family of scholars and farmers, he comes from a long line of officials. His direct relatives now include a third-rank court official, but his own branch is so distant that they have been excluded from the clan for five generations. To restore the family’s former glory and stop his grandmother and grandparents from being mocked, he has only one path: the imperial examinations. He takes exam after exam, builds 723Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 46 The Noble Son of a Farming Family 农门贵子 He never imagined that one day he would transmigrate into the body of a fifteen-year-old peasant boy who had died in an examination hall. To take control of his own fate in this dynasty, all he can do is study hard. Studying changes one's fate, and can pave the way to success… 39Reads7.4Score1514d adds
- 47 Starting My Civil Service Exam Journey After Being Kicked Out of My Home 科举从被赶出家门开始 An accident turned Gu Yuan into the third son of the Gu family in ancient Qing Shui Village. His father had died young, and his mother showed him no affection. His family was reasonably well-off, but he didn’t get a single cent of it after being kicked out. Just as he had finally found hope for life, a System suddenly appeared and told him he’d die if he didn’t take the imperial examinations. Fine, then: he’d sit the exams and make a living. Let’s see how he builds a future for himself, one step 242Reads7.9Score—14d adds
- 48 The Poor Scholar 寒门文星 Chen Yan, a six-year-old farmer’s son, beats the powerful minister’s son in the county exam and takes first place. Overnight, he goes from a poor country boy to the literary prodigy everyone in town is talking about. But he knows that being first is a poisoned chalice. The Vice Minister of Personnel’s son hates him to the core, the county magistrate is plotting to ruin him, and even his uncle’s family is eager to take a bite out of him. In his previous life, he was a master of classical studies. 51Reads9.2Score—14d adds
- 49 The Imperial Exams: Daily Life of a Young Farmer in Ancient Times 科举：古代农家小子生活日常 [One Female Lead] + [No System] + [Farming] + [Everyday Life] + [Romance] + [Family Matters] The everyday life of a man from the bottom of society in ancient times. To avoid being bullied, wear silk, live in a big house, have a beautiful wife and concubines, own fine horses, and farm without paying taxes, he strives to pass the imperial examinations. And more… Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. He had only just graduated, yet he threw himself into the imperial examinations. Though it was 1.1kReads6.2Score10914d adds
- 50 Reborn: A Farmer's Son Plots to Enter a Private School from the Start 重生，农家子开局谋划去私塾 Heaven gives the protagonist a chance to live his life over. See how he works hard to take the imperial examinations and raise his family's standing. “Son, how are you feeling? How did you end up in the river? And why were you playing by the river in the first place? Have you forgotten what your mother told you?” Li Mei fired off a string of questions. “Mother, I just happened to wander down to the river. Do you believe me?” 33Reads—Score—14d adds
