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