Answer
B, Confucianism
Explanation
Emperor Wu Di (141–87 B.C.E.) established Confucianism as the state ideology throughout the Han Dynasty. Confucius schools were formed during this time period to impart Confucian ideals. For numerous centuries, Confucianism coexisted as one of the most important Chinese religions alongside Buddhism and Taoism. During the Song Dynasty (960–1279 C.E. ), Buddhism and Taoism united to create "Neo-Confucianism." However, throughout the Qing era (1644–1912 C.E. ), numerous scholars sought a return to previous Confucian concepts, resulting in a Confucian resurgence.
References/Extras
- Confucianism, also known as Ruism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China.
- Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or simply a way of life, Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. Confucius considered himself a transmitter of cultural values inherited from the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties. Confucianism was suppressed during the Legalist and autocratic Qin dynasty (221–206 BCE), but survived.
- In the late Tang, Confucianism developed in response to Buddhism and Taoism and was reformulated as Neo-Confucianism.
- This reinvigorated form was adopted as the basis of the imperial exams and the core philosophy of the scholar official class in the Song dynasty (960–1297).
- The abolition of the examination system in 1905 marked the end of official Confucianism.
- The intellectuals of the New Culture Movement of the early twentieth century blamed Confucianism for China's weaknesses.
- In the late twentieth century, the Confucian work ethic has been credited with the rise of the East Asian economy.[3]
- With particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on an otherworldly source of spiritual values,[4] the core of Confucianism is humanistic.[5] According to Herbert Fingarette's conceptualisation of Confucianism as a philosophical system which regards "the secular as sacred",[6] Confucianism transcends the dichotomy between religion and humanism, considering the ordinary activities of human life—and especially human relationships—as a manifestation of the sacred,[7] because they are the expression of humanity's moral nature (xìng 性), which has a transcendent anchorage in Heaven (Tiān 天).[8] While Tiān has some characteristics that overlap the category of godhead, it is primarily an impersonal absolute principle, like the Dào (道) or the Brahman.
- Confucian thought focuses on the cultivation of virtue in a morally organised world.
- Some of the basic Confucian ethical concepts and practices include rén, yì, and lǐ, and zhì.
- Traditionally, cultures and countries in the East Asian cultural sphere are strongly influenced by Confucianism, including China, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, as well as various territories settled predominantly by Han Chinese people, such as Singapore.
- Today, it has been credited for shaping East Asian societies and overseas Chinese communities, and to some extent, other parts of Asia. In the last decades there have been talks of a "Confucian Revival" in the academic and the scholarly community, and there has been a grassroots proliferation of various types of Confucian churches. In late 2015 many Confucian personalities formally established a national Holy Confucian Church (孔圣会; 孔聖會; Kǒngshènghuì) in China to unify the many Confucian congregations and civil society organisations.
- These names do not use the name "Confucius" at all, but instead focus on the ideal of the Confucian man.
- The use of the term "Confucianism" has been avoided by some modern scholars, who favor "Ruism" and "Ruists" instead.
- The scholar Yao Xinzhong allows that there are good reasons to believe that Confucian classics took shape in the hands of Confucius, but that "nothing can be taken for granted in the matter of the early versions of the classics".