Confucianism and the Spread of Buddhism in East Asia

Vocabulary flashcards covering the historical rise, core concepts, and institutionalization of Confucianism in early China, as well as the spread, key figures, and cultural influences of Buddhism across China, Korea, and Japan.

Late Eastern Zhou / Warring States period

The era of constant warfare, social mobility, and high demand for practical advice that created conditions favoring the rise of Confucianism in China.

Shi class

The class that expanded as old aristocracies fell, providing rulers with advisers who could help restore social and political order.

Confucius (551–479 BCE)

The thinker who offered an ethical-political program centered on moral cultivation, hierarchical relationships, and ritual.

Ren

The fundamental Confucian concept denoting humaneness or benevolence.

Xiao

The fundamental Confucian concept denoting filial piety.

Li

The fundamental Confucian concept denoting ritual and propriety.

The Five Relationships

The Confucian social hierarchy consisting of ruler–subject, father–son, husband–wife, elder–younger brother, and friend–friend.

Junzi

The Confucian ideal of a gentleman of cultivated character.

Emperor Wu

The Han ruler under whom Confucian ideas first gained official support, making Confucian texts the foundation of education and recruitment.

Mandate of Heaven

A political-religious concept interpreted by Confucians to mean that a virtuous ruler retains Heaven's favor.

Period of Division (3rd–6th centuries)

The historical era in China during which Buddhism flourished following its arrival in the 1st–2nd centuries CE.

Koguryŏ and Paekche

The first Korean kingdoms to receive Buddhism in the 4th century, prior to its arrival in Silla.

Faxian

A Chinese pilgrim who traveled to India and served as a key agent in the spread and transmission of Buddhism.

Prince Shōtoku

A prominent Japanese royal patron who supported the growth and integration of Buddhism in Japan.

Bodhisattva ideal

A Mahayana Buddhist concept centered on compassion that offered consolation, merit-making, and a universal path beyond kinship or status.

Yungang, Longmen, and Dunhuang

Sites of major Chinese cave temples demonstrating the artistic and cultural influence of Buddhism.

Sŏkkuram

A prominent Korean temple architecture site exemplifying state patronage and Buddhism's integration with aristocratic culture.

Ryōbu Shinto

The syncretic fusion of Buddhist traditions with indigenous Japanese kami worship.