The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism - History

History

By 200 B.C., the Chinese state had emerged from a loose federation of feudal states of the Warring States Period to the unified empire with patrimonal rule. Confucianism emerged to dominate other schools that were growing in the fertile social upheavals of pre-imperial China Daoism (Taoism), Mohism, and Legalism all attacked Confucianism. (c. 400–c. 200 B.C.). One of Confucius's disciples, Mencius, (c. 372–c. 289 B.C.) developed a more idealistic version of Confucianism. Xun Zi (Hsün Tzu, c.313–c.238 B.C.), argued that all inclinations are shaped by acquired language and other social forms. Confucianism rose to the position of an official orthodoxy during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.–A.D. 220). When the Han fell from power, Confucianism fell with them, and lay dormant for approximately 400 years (206 B.C.–A.D. 220).

When the Chinese dynastic power re-established and the introduction of the Chan, Confucianism began to revive (618–906). During the Song (Sung) dynasty (960–1279), Neo-Confucianism — an interpretation of classical Confucian doctrine that addressed Buddhist and Daoist issues fourished. In the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Wang Yangming claimed that the heart projects li on things rather than just noticing external li. 20th century Chinese intellectuals blamed Confucianism for the scientific and political backwardness of China after the disastrous conflicts with Western military technology at the dawn of the modern era.