1. Confucianism and Government
Welcome to Day Four of Your Journey through Empires of Asia
Objective: Students will analyze how the role of religion was used to unify and centrally govern the expanding Chinese territories.
Essential Question: How was Confucian thought used to influence the Song Government?
Target Learning: I will learn how Confucian was a part of the Song Government.

2. Section Possible Grade Clarity and Neatness Due Date Geography 100
Standards
6.2.8.D.4.a - Analyze the role of religion and economics in shaping each empire’s social hierarchy, and evaluate the impact these hierarchical structures had on the lives of various groups of people.
06-08.RH.07, Integrate visual information (e.g., in charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other information in print and digital texts.
06-08.WST.10, Write routinely over extended time frames (time for reflection and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Section
Possible Grade
Clarity and Neatness
Due Date
Geography
100
11/13
China Reunifies
11/18
Song and Tang Achievement
11/23
Yuan and Ming Dynasties
11/30
Japan’s Growth of Military Society
12/3

3. Analyze the following quotes from Confucius.
Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.
Forget injuries, never forget kindnesses.
He who will not economize will have to agonize.
pretend you have to write an encouraging proverb for a fortune cookie what would you write?

4. The dominant philosophy in China, Confucianism is based on the teachings of Confucius. He lived more than 1,500 years before the Song dynasty.
Confucius's teachings focused on ethics, or proper behavior, for individuals and governments. He said that people should conduct their lives according to two basic principles. These principles were ren, or concern for others, and li, or appropriate behavior. Confucius thought that everyone had a proper role to play in society.
Order was maintained when people knew their place and behaved appropriately. For example, Confucius said that young people should obey their elders and that subjects should obey their rulers.

5. During the Sui and early Tang dynasties, Buddhism was very influential
During the Sui and early Tang dynasties, Buddhism was very influential. Unlike Confucianism, which stressed ethical behavior, Buddhism stressed a more spiritual outlook that promised escape from suffering.
In the Tang dynasty, many Chinese historians and scholars again became interested in the teachings of Confucius to improve Chinese government and society. Why would have Confucianism declined in popularity during the Period of Disunion?

6. During Song dynasty, a new philosophy called Neo-Confucianism developed.
Based on Confucianism - taught proper behavior Incorporated Buddhist and Daoist spiritual matters. that concepts about the meaning of life.
Ideas of Neo-Confucianism became official government teachings after the Song dynasty.

7. SCHOLAR-OFFICIALS
The Song dynasty improved the system by which people went to work for the government. These workers formed a large bureaucracy, or a body of unelected government officials. They joined the bureaucracy by passing civil service examinations. Civil service means service as a government official.
To become a civil servant, a person had to pass a series of written examinations based on Confucianism. Students spent years preparing for them. Only a very small fraction of the people who took the tests would reach the top level as scholar-official—an educated member of the government.
Scholar-officials performed many important jobs in the government and were admired for their knowledge and ethics. The civil service examination system helped ensure that talented, intelligent people, including commoners, could become scholar-officials. The civil service system was a major factor in the stability of the Song government.

8. 14.3: Confucianism and Government (pages 420-423)
Who was able to take the civil service examination, which could led to a career as an educated member of the government?
Why would a candidate want to study very hard for the civil service exam?
Why do you think the Song and later governments emphasized Neo-Confucianism?
Which of the following did the Song dynasty adopt as its official policy?