Buddhism & Confucianism in East Asia (jan 1, 721 – jan 1, 1900)

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In China, Korea, and Vietnam, Buddhists and Confucians shared the same families, villages, and sometimes the same ritual spaces, so Buddhist institutions began to teach Confucian-style family values, using stories like the Mulian/Ullambana tale to show a monk saving his mother from torment, and promoting ancestor rites as compatible with Buddhist merit-making. [6][8] At the same time, Confucian officials attacked monastic privilege—criticizing celibacy, tax exemptions, and land wealth—and used law to cap ordinations or push monasteries into the mountains, especially in Joseon Korea. [9][10] The result is a real exchange: Buddhism absorbed filial piety and loyalty to gain social approval, while Confucian-led states cut Buddhist political and economic power, turning monks into moral educators and ritual specialists for families rather than rival power-brokers. [6][7][9]

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