Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

148 From the Han to the Tang Dynasties, 220–907 CEConfucianism from the Han to the Tang DynastiesWith the fall of the Han dynasty, scholars of the classics busied themselveswith writing commentaries, commentaries on commentaries, studying thedevelopment and meaning of ancient Chinese characters, and other dustypursuits. As historians of philosophy describe it, Confucianism fell intoa long sleep. There were no new Confucian interpretations and no newinsights. This does not mean, though, that the Confucian tradition disappeared.Instead it went in another direction.We have seen the popularity of filial piety stories in the later Handynasty. This popularity increased at an even greater pace during theperiod of disunity after the Han. Not only were there more and moretexts describing the great feats of filial children, but imperial historiesbegan to include examples of those who served their parents in extraordinaryways, and tombs were decorated with scenes from famous storiesof filial behavior. 4 The reasons behind this were the same ones we sawin the later Han: elite families found that maintaining a large extendedfamily gave them protection, economic power, and political influence.To keep this extended family in order, hierarchy was needed and, tokeep the hierarchy functioning, children had to be raised with tales offilial behavior. Even as adults, sons and daughters were taught to seetheir parents ’ interests as primary; they too would be rewarded with a“ proper ” family and, in the future, children who would respect them inthe same way. 5The second major influence on the Confucian tradition began duringthe early 600s, in the Sui dynasty. The Sui instituted the beginnings of thecivil service examination system organized by the Board of Civil Office.Examinations were held every three years: candidates were required to showtheir knowledge of a classic, and awarded three levels of degrees. Successfulcandidates were offered a job in government. This developed into an evenmore elaborate system in later dynasties.Civil Service Examinations and the Imperial Civil ServiceChen Shimei left for the capital to sit in the civil service examinations. Hisfamily heard nothing from him for three years, during which time his parentsdied and his wife and children began to starve. His wife, Qin Xianglian, tookher children and went to the capital to search for her husband. She discoveredthat he had attained first place in the examinations and had married theemperor ’ s daughter. She went to their mansion, but her husband pretendednot to know her and had her thrown out. He refused all further attemptsfrom her for a reconciliation and finally hired one of his followers to kill her