Confucianism
  • 1. Confucianism is a philosophical and ethical system based on the teachings of Confucius, a Chinese sage and philosopher who lived over 2,500 years ago. Central to Confucianism are principles such as filial piety, loyalty, righteousness, and the importance of ritual. These teachings emphasize the cultivation of virtues and moral character in order to create a harmonious and just society. Confucianism has had a profound influence on Chinese culture and society, shaping values, relationships, and governance for centuries.

    Who is the founder of Confucianism?
A) Confucius
B) Mencius
C) Buddha
D) Laozi
  • 2. Which text contains the teachings of Confucius?
A) Bhagavad Gita
B) Analects
C) The Art of War
D) Tao Te Ching
  • 3. What is the Confucian concept of 'ren' often translated as?
A) Enlightenment
B) Benevolence
C) Suffering
D) Harmony
  • 4. Which dynasty embraced Confucianism as its state ideology in China?
A) Han Dynasty
B) Tang Dynasty
C) Ming Dynasty
D) Qin Dynasty
  • 5. Which social institution is emphasized in Confucianism for maintaining harmony?
A) Religion
B) Government
C) Family
D) Education
  • 6. Who was another significant Confucian philosopher besides Confucius?
A) Huineng
B) Bodhidharma
C) Sunzi
D) Mencius
  • 7. What is the Confucian ideal of a 'junzi' often translated as?
A) Warrior
B) Monk
C) Artist
D) Gentleman
  • 8. What does the Confucian concept of 'Xiao' refer to?
A) Compassion
B) Filial piety
C) Spiritual enlightenment
D) Selflessness
  • 9. What is another name for Confucianism?
A) Buddhism
B) Ruism
C) Daoism
D) Shinto
  • 10. During which era was Confucianism founded?
A) Warring States period
B) Qin dynasty
C) Han dynasty
D) Hundred Schools of Thought era (c. 500 BCE)
  • 11. Which virtue in Confucianism means 'benevolence'?
A) Ren (仁)
B) Zhi (智)
C) Yi (義)
D) Li (禮)
  • 12. What philosophical system emerged during the Tang dynasty in response to Buddhism and Taoism?
A) Daoism
B) Neo-Confucianism
C) Legalism
D) Mohism
  • 13. In which year was the imperial examination system abolished, marking a decline in state-endorsed Confucianism?
A) 1905
B) 1950
C) 1911
D) 1949
  • 14. Which Chinese reformer's principles were embraced as an alternative to Confucianism in the early 20th century?
A) Chiang Kai-shek
B) Mao Zedong
C) Deng Xiaoping
D) Sun Yat-sen
  • 15. What is credited with the rise of the East Asian economy in the late twentieth century?
A) Socialism
B) Capitalism
C) Confucian work ethic
D) Communism
  • 16. Which country established a national Confucian Church in 2015?
A) Japan
B) Vietnam
C) China
D) South Korea
  • 17. How does American philosopher Herbert Fingarette describe Confucianism?
A) As a form of mysticism
B) As a purely political ideology
C) As a religion focused on an omnipotent deity
D) As a philosophical system which regards 'the secular as sacred'
  • 18. Which virtue in Confucianism is associated with 'propriety'?
A) Yi (義)
B) Li (禮)
C) Zhi (智)
D) Ren (仁)
  • 19. What does the Confucian concept of 'tian' refer to?
A) The physical sky
B) A transcendent moral order
C) An omnipotent deity
D) Human destiny
  • 20. What is a core focus of Confucianism?
A) Individual freedom
B) Military strength
C) Virtue, social harmony, and familial responsibility
D) Economic prosperity
  • 21. What is the closest catch-all term for Confucianism in Chinese?
A) Traditionalist
B) Ruism
C) Kǒngjiào
D) Rú
  • 22. Which of these terms is used to denote 'the ru school of thought'?
A) Kǒngjiào
B) Rújiā
C) Rúxué
D) 孔家店
  • 23. What does the term 'Rú' literally mean in modern Chinese?
A) 'Shamanic methods of holding rites'
B) 'Water'
C) 'Confucius's religious doctrine'
D) 'Scholar', 'learned', or 'refined man'
  • 24. Which term refers to Confucius's family's business and is considered pejorative?
A) Ruism
B) Kǒngjiào
C) 孔家店
D) Rújiā
  • 25. What does the term 'Rúxué' translate to?
A) 'Confucius's teachings'
B) 'Traditionalist philosophy'
C) 'Ru studies'
D) 'Water symbol'
  • 26. Which scholar suggests using 'Traditionalist' as a translation for Confucianism?
A) David Schaberg
B) Robert Eno
C) Yuri Pines
D) Zhou Youguang
  • 27. Which term is used by some modern scholars instead of 'Confucianism'?
A) Kǒngjiào
B) Rúxué
C) 'Ruism'
D) Traditionalist
  • 28. What does 'Kǒngjiào' mean?
A) 'The ru school of thought'
B) 'Ru studies'
C) 'Traditionalist philosophy'
D) 'Confucius's religious doctrine'
  • 29. Who edited the received versions of the Five Classics around 500 years after Confucius?
A) Confucius
B) Yao Xinzhong
C) Imperial Librarian Liu Xin
D) Tu Weiming
  • 30. What are the four functional occupations described in the Book of Rites?
A) Farmer, scholar, artisan, merchant
B) Poet, musician, painter, calligrapher
C) King, minister, general, commoner
D) Teacher, student, parent, elder
  • 31. Which scholar studied Confucianism as a diffused civil religion in contemporary China?
A) Joël Thoraval
B) Kang Youwei
C) Stephan Feuchtwang
D) Confucius
  • 32. How does Confucius view the importance of rituals and sacrifices?
A) They are only symbolic with no real impact.
B) They have ethical importance, generating good life by overcoming the self.
C) They should be performed without personal involvement.
D) They are unnecessary for spiritual growth.
  • 33. Which virtue is shared between the Five Constants and the classical four virtues?
A) Yi (righteousness, justice)
B) Li (propriety, rites)
C) Zhi (wisdom, knowledge)
D) Ren (benevolence, humaneness)
  • 34. According to Xunzi, what did the ancient sage-kings do with names?
A) Invented new languages
B) Chose names that directly corresponded with actualities
C) Standardized names across different cultures
D) Created abstract concepts for philosophical debate
  • 35. Which Confucian virtue is about 'wisdom, knowledge'?
A) Yi (righteousness, justice)
B) Ren (benevolence, humaneness)
C) Zhi (智; zhì)
D) Xin (sincerity, faithfulness)
  • 36. What does Bell advocate for local officials?
A) Local officials are selected by peers.
B) Local officials are descendants of Confucius.
C) Local officials are democratically elected.
D) Local officials are selected via examination.
  • 37. What was the 'Mandate of Heaven' according to Zhou theology?
A) A military strategy for conquest
B) A divine favor bestowed on virtuous rulers.
C) A form of ancestor worship
D) An economic policy
  • 38. What practical form do duties in Confucian relationships often take?
A) Prescribed rituals
B) Written laws
C) Spontaneous actions
D) Personal choices
  • 39. Which philosopher's philosophy was opposed to Confucianism from the start?
A) Han Fei
B) Confucius
C) Laozi
D) Sun Lutang
  • 40. Which philosopher was attracted to Confucianism due to its perceived similarity to his own philosophy?
A) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
B) Voltaire
C) Matteo Ricci
D) Prospero Intorcetta
  • 41. Which term describes the extension of reciprocity or responsibility beyond filial piety in Confucianism?
A) Renqing
B) Li
C) Zhi
D) Yi
  • 42. What is the role of juniors in Confucian relationships?
A) Ignore seniors
B) Lead seniors
C) Owe their seniors reverence
D) Compete with seniors
  • 43. What principle does Tongdong Bai use to justify political inequality?
A) The principle of one person, one vote.
B) The principle of economic meritocracy.
C) A proto-Rawlsian 'political difference principle'.
D) The principle of liberal democracy.
  • 44. Which virtue emphasizes a sense of right and wrong in Confucianism?
A) Chǐ (耻)
B) Gōng (恭)
C) Yǒng (勇)
D) Lián (廉)
  • 45. What traditionalist Confucian concept supports the idea of superiors deciding promotions?
A) Democratic selection
B) Social mobility
C) Epistemic paternalism
D) Meritocratic equality
  • 46. How is Ren expressed according to Confucian philosophy?
A) Through interpersonal relationships
B) Through meditation
C) Through material wealth
D) Through isolation
  • 47. During which period did Confucius live?
A) 1046–256 BC
B) 960–1279 AD
C) 551–479 BC
D) 221–206 BC
  • 48. What do xiaoren seek according to Confucian philosophy?
A) long-term benefits for others
B) only immediate gains
C) ethical and moral development
D) inner peace through virtue
  • 49. What does a superior man require in his words, according to Confucius?
A) Poetic beauty
B) Humor and wit
C) Nothing incorrect
D) Complexity and depth
  • 50. What is the main advantage of democracy that Bell and Wang aim to conserve in their system?
A) Creating a tricameral government structure.
B) Involving the people in public affairs at the local level.
C) Grounding authority in something sacred and traditional.
D) Ensuring all officials are elected democratically.
  • 51. Which futurologist is credited with attributing Vietnam's rapid redevelopment to its post-war efforts?
A) Adam Smith
B) Cristobal Kay
C) Herman Kahn
D) John Maynard Keynes
  • 52. How does Stephan Feuchtwang describe rites?
A) "A method for personal enlightenment"
B) "A way to accumulate wealth"
C) "An obstacle to progress"
D) "What makes the invisible visible"
  • 53. During which period did philosophers build upon the legacy of Confucius?
A) Han dynasty
B) Song dynasty
C) Warring States period
D) Tang dynasty
  • 54. Which Pope ordered a ban on Chinese rituals during the Rites Controversy?
A) Pope Leo XIII
B) Pope Gregory XVII
C) Pope John Paul II
D) Pope Benedict XIV
  • 55. Who criticized Confucianism for shaping Chinese people into a feudalistic society in the New Culture Movement?
A) Lu Xun
B) Mozi
C) Han Fei
D) Sun Lutang
  • 56. Who proposes a model where aspiring meritocrats take hyper-selective exams and prove themselves at local government levels?
A) Wang
B) Tongdong Bai
C) Jiang Qing
D) Bell
  • 57. What term do Bell and Wang use to describe their approach to political hierarchies?
A) Progressive conservatism.
B) Virtue politics.
C) Meritocratic liberalism.
D) Political equality.
  • 58. What term describes morally inferior people in Confucianism?
A) xiaoren
B) sage
C) junzi
D) ren
  • 59. Who began the synthesis of Warring States Confucianism with other ideas during the Han dynasty?
A) Laozi
B) Zhuangzi
C) Confucius
D) Dong Zhongshu
  • 60. What does 'Xin' represent in the Five Constants?
A) Sincerity, faithfulness
B) Righteousness, justice
C) Benevolence, humaneness
D) Propriety, rites
  • 61. Which city is home to the Yangming Confucian Abode?
A) Guiyang, Guizhou
B) Beijing
C) Qufu City
D) Shanghai
  • 62. What did Huang Zongxi criticize about the imperial system?
A) The emphasis on filial piety
B) Its autocratic nature
C) The lack of moral rectitude among rulers
D) The absence of loyalty from ministers
  • 63. In Confucianism, what does 'filial piety' refer to?
A) Zhōng (忠)
B) Xiào (孝)
C) Jié (节; 節)
D) Chǐ (耻)
  • 64. What is the foundation of a ruler's authority and the submission of its people in Confucianism?
A) Economic incentives and rewards
B) Military strength and conquests
C) A spiritual-ethical foundation rather than coercive power
D) Fear of punishment
  • 65. Which philosophy heavily influenced many educated martial artists from the 19th century onwards?
A) Legalism
B) Daoism
C) Mohism
D) Confucianism
  • 66. What did Confucius say when Yan Hui asked about the criteria of Ren?
A) "Ren is only for the wise and learned."
B) "If contrary to ritual, do not look; if contrary to ritual, do not listen; if contrary to ritual, do not speak; if contrary to ritual, do not act."
C) "Ren is achieved through meditation and solitude."
D) "Ren can be practiced without Li."
  • 67. Who published a manifesto in 2003 suggesting that Confucian education should be integrated into official education?
A) Zhou Beichen
B) Confucius
C) Kang Xiaoguang
D) Jiang Qing
  • 68. Who was among the earliest to report on the thoughts of Confucius in Europe?
A) Matteo Ricci
B) Voltaire
C) Prospero Intorcetta
D) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
  • 69. Who was a Muslim warlord influenced by Confucianism in modern Chinese history?
A) Chiang Kai-shek
B) Mao Zedong
C) Sun Yat-sen
D) Ma Fuxiang
  • 70. Which Confucian virtue is not part of the Five Constants?
A) Ren
B) Bravery
C) Li
D) Yi
  • 71. Which rebellion described Confucian sages as devils?
A) The Boxer Rebellion
B) The Cultural Revolution
C) The Taiping Rebellion
D) The Xinhai Revolution
  • 72. Which city's Confucian Academy expanded its activities to mainland China?
A) Qufu City
B) Beijing
C) Hong Kong
D) Shanghai
  • 73. Who is depicted as having a conversation with Confucius in the Xiaojing?
A) Mencius.
B) Zeng Shen.
C) Laozi.
D) Yan Hui.
  • 74. Who is the first spiritual leader of the Holy Confucian Church?
A) Zhou Beichen
B) Jiang Qing
C) Confucius
D) Kang Xiaoguang
  • 75. Which movement criticized Confucianism for fostering a 'slave mentality'?
A) The New Culture Movement
B) The Cultural Revolution
C) The Boxer Rebellion
D) The Taiping Rebellion
  • 76. What symbol was associated with the supreme godhead and unlimited power in ancient Chinese belief?
A) The crane
B) The tiger
C) The phoenix
D) The dragon
  • 77. In which year did guoxue start being implemented in public schools on all levels?
A) 2015
B) 2003
C) 1999
D) 2005
  • 78. What does Tongdong Bai argue Confucian political thought departs from?
A) Individual rights
B) The 'one person, one vote' model
C) Economic liberalism
D) Freedom of speech
  • 79. Who wrote 'Lessons for Women' during the Han dynasty?
A) Zhu Xi
B) Ban Zhao
C) Sima Guang
D) Cheng Yi
  • 80. What is 'Loyalty' referred to in Confucianism?
A) Xiào
B) Zhì
C) Jié
D) Zhōng
  • 81. What is the Confucian ideal of good government led by?
A) The most intelligent person in the kingdom
B) A superior man (junzi)
C) An elected official
D) A military leader
  • 82. What should a proper Confucian ruler do to govern better?
A) Rule with absolute authority
B) Dismiss any form of criticism
C) Accept his ministers' advice
D) Ignore the opinions of his ministers
  • 83. Which South Korean writer wrote 'Confucius Must Die For the Nation to Live'?
A) Kim Kyong-il
B) Lu Xun
C) Han Fei
D) Sun Lutang
  • 84. Which theory does Ban Zhao use to explain the complementarity of male and female roles?
A) Yin-yang theory
B) Luxuriant Dew
C) The Three Obediences
D) Four Virtues
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