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