How Did Confucianism Change In The Tang Dynasty

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In the early Qin dynasty, Confucianism suffered unprecedented strike. “The feudal state of Qin, utilizing Legalist practices of strong centralization of power, regimentation of its people, and aggressive warfare, had built itself up to a position of formidable strength in the late years of the Zhou dynasty.” (de Bary, 115) However, fierce battles for supremacy and wars for merging territories made Confucianism, which promoted against violence, impossible to function. Confucianism’s “Ren Zheng” and “Li Zhi” were all viewed as high-sounding and impracticable. The leading thought of Qin State was the ruling thought of Legalism and Qin used Shang Yang reform. Legalism had great impact on Qin’s politics and the first Emperor of Qin ordered to burn …show more content…
This civil-service examination was to be established when Confucianism was at its summit and to be abolished when Confucianism was week. We can say that any one of these two can rarely stand or fall alone.
“With this change in the system of recruitment also came a change in the life of those who aspired to office. Although most such men were still from well-connected families, they now had to devote more effort and energy to preparing for the examinations by studying the classics and practicing literary composition.” (Ebrey, Patricia Buckley, 128) This civil-service examination breaks the regulation that only noble class generations can be the government officials. This examination, to some extent, expands the selection criteria for talented people, promotes the circulation of all social strata and accelerates the development of the society. “…Huang Po was wealthy, but Lu Zhao was very poor…The prefect gave a farewell dinner at the Pavilion of Departure, but Huang Po alone was invited…The next year, Lu Zhao came back to his hometown, having been awarded the title of ‘number one’.” (Ebrey, Buckley, 129) Confucianism is always the major content in the civil-service examination in Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing