From the Tang dynasty onwards, success in the imperial examinations was referred to as "plucking a sprig of osmanthus," and the highest-scoring examinee was known as an "osmanthus guest" or "osmanthus-sprig youth."
唐代以後，人稱登科中舉為「折桂」；佔得桂林一枝的狀元，便是「桂客」或「桂枝郎」。