自科舉考試在唐代確立以來，書坊為了滿足考生備考的迫切需要，出版了林林總總準備參加科舉考試的輔助讀物，它們的出版在宋元也取得一定的發展。考試用書的出版雖在明成化以前經歷一段長時期的沉寂，但這些圖書的出版在成化年間開始死灰復燃，於嘉靖年間呈上升趨勢，至萬曆年間達致頂峰。過去學者們對明代制舉用書的零星討論中，往往讓讀者誤解在明代通行的制舉用書僅有四書五經講章和八股文選本等幾類。實際上，除四書五經講章和八股文選本外，明中晚期的坊間還大量地充斥著古文選本、明文選本、翰林館課、類書、通史、諸子彙編、論表策試試墨彙編和範文選本等各式各樣的制舉用書，來滿足士子全方位的備考需要。這些制舉用書的風行，不僅便利和簡化了士子的備考工作，對打造明中葉以後蓬勃發達的民間出版業也貢獻了其舉足輕重的力量，同時對知識的傳播起著正面的作用。但它們在風行的同時也遭到不少朝野人士的批評，尤其是它們造成了士子為求仕進而在舉業之途上浮躁競進，對明中葉以後的文風、士風和學風造成了負面的影響。但是，由於朝廷沒有整頓科舉制度的決心，也無意頒布嚴厲的禁令來遏止這些圖書的流通，使得坊刻制舉用書的出版得到了生存的空間，依然浩浩蕩蕩地流通傳布在明中葉以後的坊間。

Examination aids were a major type of publication during the publication boom of the mid-Ming dynasty. These aids were largely produced by commercial printing houses and were widely circulated in book markets during and after mid-Ming. These aids helped prepare candidates in two major areas: knowledge they needed to acquire before sitting for the civil service examinations and techniques on answering examination questions. This essay examines commercially-printed examination aids published after mid-Ming and the responses from the government and the public toward these publications. There are three parts in this essay. Part one outlines the publishing activities of these commercially-printed examination aids, as well as the major types of aids produced during and after mid-Ming. Part two examines their positive influences on society. Part three provides explanations on their enduring vitality in the book market, even though they were intermittently banned by the court and incisively criticized by the officials and scholars during the Ming dynasty.