Questions pages 182 - 185

The Definitive answers

• When and How did Buddhism spread into China?– Traders and missionaries brought Buddhism from India

into China in the AD 100’s

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• What led people to follow Buddhism?– Han Dynasty was in decline and the people were suffering.

– Buddhism taught that people could escape suffering through its teachings.

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• How did monks and nuns help the Chinese people?– Monks and nuns helped by running schools and providing

food and shelter for travelers. They also served as bankers and gave medical care.

• Why did China become less supportive of Buddhism?– People believed the monasteries were too wealthy.– People believed monasteries were ruining respect for the

family because monks and nuns were not allowed to marry.– Rulers felt Buddhists were an enemy of Confucianism

• Trace Buddhism’s journey from China to Japan.– In the AD 300’s Buddhism was spread to Korea. In 552 AD

the Korean king sent missionaries to Japan, and many people converted.

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• What was different about neo-Confucianism in relation to traditional Confucianism?– Neo-Confucianism included some Buddhist and Daoist

beliefs. It became a religious tradition with beliefs about the spiritual world, and taught that it could bring peace of mind.

• What did civil service exams hope to ensure?– A government run by educated people was less likely to

become corrupt or weak.

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• Who was eligible to take the civil service exams?– Only men were allowed to take the test, and the exam

favored the rich.

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• Describe preparing for the civil service exam?– Boys started preparing at age 4. They had to learn to read

and memorize the teachings of Confucius.

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• What did people do who didn’t pass the test?– Those who didn’t pass found jobs teaching or helping

government workers.