Neo+Confucianism

__Development and interactions of cultures:__

 * __Traditon (beliefs)__**
 * "Neo" literally meaning //**new**,// was the **new** spin on previous Confucian beliefs/morals, as well as a synthesis of Buddhist and Daoist traditions/beliefs.
 * Eximplified reasoning behind their ideas of teaching
 * "Studied constant Laws of Learning" as quoted by an article titled //CONFUCIANISM IN THE EDO (TOKUGAWA) PERIOD//
 * Scholars searched for information on the precedents written in the past
 * Although Neo Confucianism included both ideas of Buddhism, and Taoism beliefs, some of the beliefs that neo confucianism had, actually opposed some of the Buddhist and Taoist beliefs and ideas, and Zhu Xi, also wrote a few articles about how his ideas were not buddhist or taoist.
 * The beliefs of neo confucianism, included //li// and q//i,// li was seen as pure and perfect, while qi was seen as where conflicts rise and emotions surface, and neo confucianism beliefs were based on these two principles. Neo confucianists believed that people were naturally good but they were not pure, until actions were taken to purify yourself
 * Rejected reincanrnation and idea of karma
 * Neo confucianism was also called "the study of li" due to the importance and study of li


 * __When and how it began.__**
 * Devoloped during the song dynasty (960 - 1280 C.E) but can be traced back to Han Yu and Li Ao in the Tang Dynasty

__Interaction between humans and the environment:__
__Where it existed:__ Neo-confucianism began in China during the Song dynasty, marking one of it's greatest achievements. It particularly grew in popularity after the Song era and became a national movement in Asia as it was introduced to Korea, Japan, and Vietnam.

__State building, Expansion, and conflict:__

 * Neo-confucianism sparked a shift in the ways of the government. The aristocracy (based on lineage/family you were bron into) gave way to the new and improved bureaucracy. Entrance into the bureaucracy was available to more people due to the new Civil Service Exams.
 * These exams were based on Neo-Confucian thought and teachings
 * Civil Service Exams acted as the glue of the governement, and when they were abolished in 1905 the Qing dynasty fell before enacting another schooling system.
 * Neo-Confucianism wanted to remain the leading practiced philosophy in Asia. By means of accomplishing this task they absorbed aspects of both Buddhism and Daoism to better appeal to a larger mass of people and maintain their power.

__Creation and interaction of economic systems:__
- Organizing trade guilds leading to increased trade -Rise of paper currency -Flourishing cities along the southeast coast and waterways
 * Seeing as though politics and government are very closely related, the changes in government due to Neo-Confucianism also effected the economy.
 * As Civil Service Exams came into play people became more involved with the government. Since morepolitical opportuinites arose, economic opportunities followed. In direct correlation with Neo-Confucianism and Civil Service exams, the economy grew, since both politics and economy are so closely intermingled.
 * New changes in economy began to take form and many economical developments evolved such as:

Women were supposed to "occupy" a level lower than men
__**Social Impacts, and influences (CAUSE AND EFFECT)**__ >>
 * Respected Womens role as mother in law, mother and housekeeper within the family
 * Were said to be unselfish and loyal to their husbands
 * Song often seen as the period where the role of women began to decline and lower.
 * Womens property was indeed secure threw this time.
 * Practiced Footbinding
 * upperclass men developed taste for women with small feet
 * around the age of 5 or 6 the young girls' toes were turned under and bound with silk, which was wound more tightly as she grew of age, and when she reached the age where she was supposed to marry, her foot had changed into a "lotus petal".
 * Footbinding was a great source of pain for womenm and had limited movement and tasks they could complete, which held them back from certain occupations, and made them more house bound.
 * Footbinding became vital for women to gain a husband.
 * [[image:http://media-1.web.britannica.com/eb-media/64/19164-004-FCEA0FA3.jpg caption="The practice of footbinding was greatly popular in the Neo-Confucian era."]]
 * Women were excludeed from being apart of the civil service examinations, and being involved in positions of political power.
 * Emphasized abstinence for women, but men were permitted to have premarital sex and could remarry if their wife died, while women could not.
 * Stressed womens role as bearer of sons.
 * Women were always forced to listen to their mother in laws authority, and hoped for boys, so their house hold duties could be passed on when the son married.
 * Cocubinage was a practice that often times determined someones status
 * ==Impacted what became the "cornerstone" of education==
 * Chinese schools became of upmost importance, and the passing of exams, the schools taught the beliefs of high self knowledge, school became the highest form of education in chinese societies, and tried to revive the original thought of confucianism. Civil Service Examinations
 * ==Impacted the cultural society==
 * Poets, painters, doctors and philopshers all became in the advancement of neo confucianism, spreading the beliefs behind each of their works.
 * ==Impacted the revival of daoist thoughts and beliefs==
 * As neo confucianism encompassed more land and penetrated more boundaries, Buddhism became more revived. Monks began to create own Buddhist schools, which dominated in East Asia,
 * ==Impacted the women==
 * Neo confucianism looked at women as house-bound gave the culture/society the idea that women should be at home helping around the house, which also lead to the new practice of foot-binding, and how it became crucial in the chinese society.

__//Works Cited//__
//"Lesson: Women and Confucianism (Women in World History Curriculum)." Women In World History Curriculum. 1996. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. [].// //"Neo Confucianist Religion : Neo Confucianism Art, History & Origin." Religion Du Monde / World Religion. One Little Angel Team, 2000. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. [].// //Hymes, Robert. "The Song Dynasty in China | Asia Topics in World History." Asia for Educators | Columbia University. Ed. Ainslie T. Embree and Carol Gluck. Asian Topics, 1997. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. []// //"Women in World History : MODULE 10." Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media. National Endowment for the Humanities, 2004-2006. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. [].// //"Neo Confucianism." Willamette University. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. []// Berthrong, John H. "Neo-Confucian Philosophy." //Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy//. Boston University, 22 July 2005. Web. 6 Feb. 2012. []. "Neo-Confucianism." //Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online//. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 06 Feb. 2012. <[]>. "Civil Service Examinations" Princeton university journal entry. © 2009 by Berkshire Publishing Group LLC, Web. 08 Feb. 2012 [] "Map pf China" Google Images Result. Feb 09. 2012 [] //"foot binding"//. Photograph. //Encyclopædia Britannica Online//. Web. 9 Feb. 2012. []