IGNOU HISTORY NOTES : History Of China and Japan (1840-1949) - Religion and Culture : China and Japan

IGNOU HISTORY Study Notes for IAS, UPSC Exams

History Of China and Japan (1840-1949)

Religion and Culture : China and Japan

Structure

5.0 Objectives
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Religion in Classical China
5.3 Schools of Thought
5.3.1 Confucianism
5.3.2 Taoism and Other Sects
5.3.3 Buddhism .
5.4 Medieval Period ,
5.4.1 Neo-Confucianism
5.4.2 Religion under the Mongols
5.5 The Ming-Ch'ing Period
5.6 Religion and Rebellion
5.7 Japan : Classical Religion and Culture
5.7.1 Indigenous Roots
5.7.2 Buddhism
5.7.3 Aristocratic Culture
5.8 Medieval Religion and Culture
5.8.1 Religious Developments
5.8.2 Formation of a Wamor Culture
5.9 Religion and Culture in the Tokugawa Period
5.9.1 Patterns of Thought
5.9.2 The Rise of an Urban Culture
5.10 Let Us Sum Up
5.11 Key Words
5.12 Answers to Check Your Progress Exercises

5.0 OBJECTIVES

After reading this Unit you shall be able to know about:

the major religions and religious ideas during the classical period in China and Japan,
the religions and culture during the medieval and early modem periods in China and Japan, and
the social groups which created the aesthetic principles and philoSophica1 systems.

5.1 INTRODUCTION

In this Unit an attempt has been made to familiarise you with religious and cultural
developments in China and Japan till the advent of what we term as the modem
period. In both these countries religion and culture played a significant role in shaping
the evolution of their societies.
China, as an independent country, embodies a composite culture and many religions.
From the early phase to the present time certain primordial factors influenced the
existence of China. We have to examine .whether China has been able to sustain its
own identity through culture and religion or it has been modified by foreign influence,
war or conquest. The Unit begins with a brief discussion on the religion and culture
of the classical period. It takes into account the various schools of thought like Taoism
and Confucianism, etc. Further we take up the influence of Buddhism during the
medieval period: the development of aristocratic culture, arts. lir~rature and
scholarship. The Unit also takes into account the emergence of kc o-C':infucianism.
during the early modern period and the impact it had on soclal and cultural
developments.