Buddhism During The Tang Dynasty

Buddhism reached its flourishing peak during the Tang dynasty but was starting to be seen as a “foreign" religion in the Sung dynasty. This brought upon a form of a reform movement known as Neo-Confucianism, which used creative reinterpretation of ancient ideal Confucian institutions. There was a focus on self-cultivation with a lasting importance on intellectual and spiritual reshaping of the tradition. One of the most important parts of Neo-Confucianism was Zhu Xi. This reform created a web of interconnection between family, community, nation and world with the teaching of humility and bringing peace and harmony.

Confucianism was criticized in 19th and 20th century as being incompatible with modernity. This was due to social fragmentation

Confucian ideas were reinterpreted to suit changing sociopolitical conditions. The ruling nationalists adopted Confucianism as a tool for demanding obedience and was used in political ideology of the early 20th century. The focus was on the imperial Confucius who was all about submission to the emperor, hierarchy, and loyalty. This was used as a means to justify their government and supports their authoritarian rule. At the same time, it can be used to fend off ideas they don’t want from the West, like democracy and human rights. By reviving Confucius, they are making the case that China has its own political culture based on its own political and philosophical history. China therefore does not have to head toward democracy in the way that Western advocates would like to see happen. It can have a political future based on what it sees as its philosophical past. Certainly, the use of Confucian ideals in political rhetoric creates the sense of the revival as practical. However, in present day, Confucianism is being brought back in a cultural and religious

This quote was quite ironic because early Confucianism considered women to be less than men. However, in actuality, a woman had brought Confucianism back to life in China recently. Yu Dan, a professor of media studies at Beijing Normal University brought Confucius back with her series of lectures called “Yu Dan's Insights into the Analects”. These were edited into a book called “Confucius from the Heart” which harnessed an immense interest in Confucius. She reinterpreted “The Analects” as a modern reinterpretation made relevant for a broad global audience. Her different outlook on ancient teaching focused on teaching of Confucius into something everyone read about. It's aimed to explain Confucius teaching making it easier to understand which brings it closer to the public. It takes readers on a journey from start to end focusing on all the necessities someone comes across in