Final answer:
Confucian values and norms were associated with the Zhou dynasty, which was during the time of Confucius. Later dynasties, including the Ming, also embraced Confucianism, particularly the post-Yuan dynasty under the leadership of emperors like Zhu Di.
Step-by-step explanation:
The values and norms promoted by Confucius were closely associated with the Zhou dynasty. Confucius lived during the later years of the Zhou dynasty and his teachings focused on reviving and interpreting the ancient rites as well as promoting virtues that were believed to have been present during the early Zhou.
While later dynasties, such as the Han, Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing, each embraced Confucian ideals and incorporated them into their governance and culture, it is the Zhou dynasty that is directly linked to the time of Confucius and the origination of his teachings.
During the Ming dynasty, after the fall of the Yuan dynasty, the Chinese state returned to its Confucian roots with administrators once again selected according to their knowledge of Confucian classics, as reinforced by the actions of emperors like Zhu Di seeking to restore Chinese cultural traditions.