AP World History 2012-2013
  • Unit 1
    • 1.1.3: Tools and Adaptation>
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.3.9 & 1.3.2: New Religions & Geographies of Early Civs.>
      • Early Religions>
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
        • Works Cited
      • The Early Civilizations>
        • Case Study
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
        • Works Cited
    • 1.1.2: Humans and Fire>
      • 1.1.4: Economic Structures>
        • Case Study
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.3.6: Arts & Record Keeping>
      • Arts and Artisanship
      • Systems of Recordkeeping
      • Case Study: The Phoenician Alphabet
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.3.1-1.3.3: Early Culture & Systems of Rule>
      • Culture's Effects
      • Systems of Rule
      • Case Study: Hammurabi's Code
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.1-1.4 Early Human Innovation>
      • 1.1.1: Human Patterns of Migration>
        • Case Study
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.2.1-1.2.3: The Climate & The Neolithic Era>
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 1.2.5-1.2.6: Reliable Food Sources & Innovation>
      • Case Study - The Plow
      • Works Cited
    • 1.3.1-1.3.2: Pastoralists & Early Architecture>
      • Introduction
      • Monumental Architecture And Urban Planning
      • Pastoralist Weapon Dissemination And Transportation
      • Pastoralist Tools
      • Basic
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • Works Cited
  • Unit 2
    • 2.2.5-2.2.7 Social Hierarchy and Gender Roles>
      • Gender Roles>
        • Case Study
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • Social Hierarchies >
        • AGMSPRITE
    • 2.2.4 Cities>
      • Trade>
        • Trade AGMSPRITE
        • Trade Case Study
      • Religious Rituals>
        • Religious Rituals AGMSPRITE
        • Religious Rituals Case Study
      • Public Administration>
        • Public Administration AGMSPRITE
        • Public Administration Case Study
    • 2.2.2 Orchestration of the Persian and S. Asian Empires>
      • Persia>
        • Imperial Administration and Legal Systems
        • Military Power
        • Trade and Economic Integration and Regulation
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • South Asia>
        • Imperial Administration and Legal Systems
        • Military Power
        • Trade and Economic Integration and Regulation
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 2.2.2 Orchestration of Rome and China>
      • China>
        • Imperial Administration
        • Military Power
        • Trade and Economics
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • Rome>
        • Imperial Administration
        • Military Power
        • Trade and Economics
        • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 2.2.1: Growth of Empires & States>
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 2.1.6 Cultures Of Second Wave Civilizations>
      • Sculptures
      • Architecture
      • Literature
      • A.G.M.S.P.R.I.T.E
      • Sources
    • 2.1.1: Religions as a Bonding Force>
      • The Basic Gist
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
      • Case Study
    • 2.1.4 Buddhism and Hinduism Impact on Gender Roles>
      • Buddhism
    • 2.1.2 The Emergence of Religions>
      • Christianity
      • Confucianism
      • Greco-Roman Philosophy
      • Daoism
      • AGMSPRITE
  • Unit 3
    • 3.1.1 Third Wave Global Trade Routes>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 3.1.2 The Impact of trade on emerging trading cities>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 3.1.3. Spread of Islam Through Afro-Eurasia>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 3.1.4 Inter-Regional Travelers >
      • The Basic Gist
      • Compare and Contrast
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 3.1.5. Cultural Interactions and Art>
      • The Basic Gist
      • Cultural Traditions AGMSPRITE
      • Art AGMSPRITE
      • Literature AGMSPRITE
      • Case Study
    • 3.1.6: The Impact of Newly Spread Technologies and Scientific Knowledge>
      • Basic Gist
      • Movement of Gunpowder from East to West
      • Movement of Printing from East to West
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 3.1.7 Inter-Regional Conflicts>
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
  • Unit 4
    • 4.1.1. - Influence of Tools Upon Transoceanic Trade>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 4.1.2: Maritime Reconnaissance>
      • Basic Gist
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 4.1.3 World Economies>
      • Basic Gist
      • AGMSPRITE analysis
      • Case Study
    • 4.1.4 The Colossal Impact of the Colombian Exchange>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study on Sugar
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis of the East
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis of the West
    • 4.1.5 Government and the Arts>
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 4.2.3 Forced Migration of Africans Cause and Effect>
      • Basic Gist
      • Causes of the forced migration of Africans
      • Effects/Developments of the forced migration of Africans
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 4.3.2 Impact of Technology on state consolidation and imperial expansion>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
  • Unit 5
    • 5.3.1 US and Latin American Revolutions >
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 5.3.2b Hatian Revolution>
      • Basic Gist
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 5.3.2a: Causes and Effects of French Revolution>
      • Causes of the French Revolution
      • Effects of the French Revolution
      • AGMSPRITE
    • 5.3.2c Causes and Effects of the Mexican Revolution>
      • Basic Gist
      • Causes of the Mexican Revolution
      • Effects of the Mexican Revolution
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 5.3.3: The Winds of Change>
      • Case Study
      • The Conception of Nation-States
      • Nationalism on the Rise
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 5.3.4 Nationalism and Democracy >
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
      • 5.3.5 Enlightenment and European Despots>
        • Basic Gist
  • Unit 6
    • War and Peace in a Global Context>
      • Big Gist>
        • WWI vs WWII
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • Changing Economics>
      • Basic Gist
      • AGMSPRITE
      • Case Study
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • Demographic and Environmental Changes>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE Analysis
    • 20th Century Globalization>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • Effects of Revolutions on Women>
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE
    • New Patterns of Nationalism >
      • Basic Gist
      • Independence of Vietnam Case Study
      • Effects of Communism Case Study
      • Chinese and Russian Revolutions
      • AGMSPRITE
    • Globalization of Science, technology and culture. >
      • Basic Gist
      • Case Study
      • AGMSPRITE

Neo-Confucianism and Buddhism: How They Spread and Their Affect

Sarah Babbie

The Spread of Buddhism and the Influence on Art, Literature, and Culture.

Picture
The Buddha while meditating.
This section has been about cultural interactions, so the examples that seem to show the strongest are those in Neo-Confucianism and Buddhism.  Because Neo-Confucianism is the result of the spread of Buddhism, it will be discussed later on in this page.
     Buddhism started off in India with a prince named Siddhartha Gautama,  after he saw the sufferings other people had.  The basic story is, Siddhartha was a prince who one day traveled outside of his sheltered life and looked around.  While out, he saw the suffering other people had and decided to meditate on this idea.  When he emerged he was enlightened and told people of his thoughts on how to stop the suffering people have.  People in India quickly picked it up because Buddhism does not have a built in caste system.  
     It traveled along trade routes into China with many other ideas around 202 AD, but this one also caught fire in that area.  In an edict from Emperor Wu Zong he says, "[Buddhism] has spread to the hills and plains of all
 the nine provinces and through
the walls and towers of our two capitals. Each
 day finds its monks and followers growing more numerous and its temples more lofty."
     At the same time it was accepted by the commoners, it was rejected by the Confucian leaders.  This idea came from the immense amounts of spirituality that Buddhism has, especially with their beliefs in rebirth.  This led to Neo-Confucianism.
     In terms of what Buddhism did to art, they brought a focus back more toward nature, but not as much as Taoism did.  A lot of elements in Chinese art were added to typical Buddhist art, such as the styling of having thin eyes and a small neck compared to the head.  However, the real impact was made in the addition of statues to Chinese culture again.  An example of a statue can be seen below. Another example of Southeastern Asian influence on Buddhist art is the Budai or Fat Buddha.  He is supposed to represent the idea of being happy without having much, hence why he is wearing a cloth sack.  Many Americans see this image and think of the actual Buddha, which really speaks to the influence it's had in the world. Budai is a character from Chinese and Korean folklore who represents a content Buddhist monk.  The Budai is represented in a lot of Chinese art today. 


     In South East Asian literature, Buddhism also had a large indirect influence.  Buddhism led to an increase in peace generally, because of the peace people had more free time.  More free time means more time to grow as a person in terms of intelligence and fun levels. Meaning, Buddhism led to higher levels of education.  This means more people would learn how to read and write.  This is why Chinese writings don't really pick up until after Buddhism comes to the nation.  
     Also, many monks traveled around and learned of other countries and the issues that would bother them.  This means the monks would become more educated while on their journeys.  So, the monks can tell people of what they know or get a book published about other places, which adds to the literature.  (Kind of a Marco Polo situation, but with Monks.) 
     For Buddhism's effect on Cultural Traditions, the best way to represent the impact would be with a number.  100 million.  That is the number of practicing Buddhists in China today.  Most people think of China when they think of Buddhism.  The culture was at one point a place known for it's powerful military force, but when people imagine that time period, they see Buddhist temples  and peaceful images that would come from Taoist renderings of nature.  People wanted to live simpler lives and to end suffering. The people who didn't believe in spiritual ideas before converted to a religion much different from the one they originally practiced.  
Picture
A Chinese Buddhist Statue
Picture
A statue of Budai.

The Beginning of Neo-Confucianism

Picture
Zhou Dunyi
Neo-Confucianism is the direct result of the interactions between Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism.   The people who deeply believed in Confucius ideals looked down upon the new religions and their mysticism.  An example of this can be seen in a document from Han Yu which reads: 
"Your Majesty has ordered the community of monks to go to Fengxiang to greet the bone of Buddha, that Your Majesty will
ascend a tower to watch
as it is brought into the palace, and that the various temples have been
commanded to welcome and worship it in turn. Though
your servant is abundantly ignorant, he understands that Your Majesty is not so misled by Buddhism as to honor it thus in
hopes of receiving some blessing or reward, but only that, the year being one of plenty and the people joyful, Your Majesty would accord with
 the hearts of the multitude in setting forth
for the officials and citizens of the capital some curious show and toy for their amusement. …
But the common 
people are ignorant and dull, easily misled and hard to enlighten, and should they see their emperor do these things they might say that Your Majesty was serving Buddhism with
 a true heart. “The Son
 of Heaven
 is a Great Sage,” they would cry, “and yet he reverences and believes with
all
his heart! How should we, the common
 people, then
 begrudge our bodies and our lives?” Then
 would they set about singeing their heads and scorching their fingers, binding together in
 groups of ten
 and a hundred, doffing their common
 clothes and scattering their money, from morning to evening urging each
 other on
 lest one be slow, until
 old and young alike had abandoned their occupations to follow [Buddhism]. …
 Then
 will
 our old ways be corrupted, our customs violated, and the tale will
spread to make us the mockery of the world. This is no trifling matter!"
The significance of this is showing how much the people were against the mysticism.  
Zhou Dunyi, a philosopher from the Song Dynasty who realized that Confucianism really had no ideas for what would happen after people died.  So, he added principles from Taoism and Buddhism into Confucianism so ideas from all three were maintained. This was rather revolutionary for a lot of people who were used to their old traditions, but this came out when Confucianism was dying out a bit, which made it much simpler than it could have been. 

     In terms of Neo-Confucianism's affect on art, it stressed Nature again and it's want to be represented as it is, this concept is called Li.  "We could say, too, that clouds have li, marble has li, the human body has li. We all recognize it, and the artist copies it whether he is a landscape painter, a portrait painter, an abstract painter, or a non-objective painter. They all are trying to express the essence of li",  a quote from Alan Watts. 
     To the right is what can be described as a lesson scroll. It teaches people with text and pictures.  The pictures are drawn from nature with the idea of being accurate in them.  It's basically the art that was already going on at the time but with more reasons, because it fused three religions.  Another common thing seen in the artwork are pictures of families, particularly women and children doing what they were supposed to do. The women were typically doing housework such as cleaning the children, whereas the children would be seen playing. There are also a great number of scrolls showing children gathered around a toy seller.  This shows that children being happy was a big part of this religion.  
     
Picture
A lesson scroll teaching family values.
Picture
A picture of two Chinese children playing with toys.
      In terms of literature, the result was much the same as Buddhism where it increased literacy and thus the level of literature.  Some examples of the literature seen were rather similar to Confucianism, though, because it  taught life lessons such as respecting ones elders and how to be good in life.  This usually meant through work.     
     The cultural impact was large, because it was an even ground to stand on.  It incorporated a lot of ideas to Chinese culture, and was more readily accepted than Buddhism.  A lot of people accepted it and it brought a revival in Confucian beliefs when they were dying out more.
     Neo-Confucianism also brought the focus of people in China back to families.   The children were expected to become educated in this religion, but the children also got to have fun. The idea of respecting many generations of people is a very Confucius idea, this was revived because of the fusion of cultures that comes from interactions. 
Sources
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/song/sch/confuc.htm
http://www.onelittleangel.com/wisdom/quotes/neo_confucianism.asp
http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/tps/1000ce.htm#neoconf
http://www.csuchico.edu/~cheinz/syllabi/asst001/fall97/7merc.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_literature
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/chinlit.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/28131/5influen.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_by_country



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