zhuàng​yuán​jí​dì

to pass the imperial exam as top candidate

状元及第 狀元及第 zhuàng​yuán​jí​dì
to pass the imperial exam as top candidate
To succeed in the highest imperial examination and be ranked as the Zhuangyuan (first place winner)
top three imperial candidates
The top three successful candidates (Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua) in the imperial examinations during the Ming and Qing dynasties