East Asian Religions Ch8 Complete Test Bank

Test Bank

to accompany

World Religions Today, Seventh Edition

Esposito • Fasching • Lewis • Feldmeier

Chapter 8

East Asian Religions: Confucianism, Daoism, Shinto, Buddhism

NOTE: Questions marked with “(w)” also appear in the student review quizzes on Oxford Learning Link.

Multiple Choice

1. (w) The Confucian canon, officially established around 175 ce, is called the

a. Daodejing.

b. Tu-di Gong.

c. Analects.

d. Five Classics.

2. (w) The people of the core region of China are called

a. Han.

b. Mandarin.

c. Mongolian.

d. Chinese.

3. (w) The time when the East Asian visionaries, the Indian sages, and the Greek philosophers made definitive contributions to the world’s social and spiritual framework is referred to as the

a. Axial age.

b. Age of transformation.

c. Great Cultural Revolution.

d. Third Civilization.

4. (w) Which one of the following is NOT one of the aspects of applied Daoism developed to manage worldly life?

a. Acupuncture.

b. Kami.

c. Feng shui.

d. I Ching.

5. (w) Beliefs prevalent in early China that were foundational for later East Asia’s diffuse religion included

a. Everything in the universe is interconnected.

b. Spirits, including dead ancestors, populate the universe.

c. Unseen forces in heaven and earth can be influenced by the petitions of shamans, oracle readers, and kings.

d. All of the above.

6. The first expression of Daoism is the poetic

a. Lao Zi.

b. Analects.

c. Tao Te Ching.

d. De.

7. (w) The spiritual force possessed by geographic places, deities, and sages is called

a. Li.

b. Ling.

c. Rujia.

d. Ren.

8. (w) The tradition seeking to harmonize early Confucian humanism with elements of Daoism and Buddhism is called which of the following?

a. Confucianism.

b. Neo-Confucianism.

c. Esoteric Daoism.

d. Analectism.

9. (w) The bond between child and parent is the model for which Confucian ideal?

a. Li.

b. Filial piety.

c. Ren.

d. Analects.

10. (w) What led the shogunate Nobunaga in the 1500s to be receptive to the first Jesuit missionaries?

a. Dislike of Buddhism.

b. Desire to increase trade.

c. Desire to banish Confucianism.

d. Potential for material gain.

11. The yin-yang theory and the five substances theory developed to

a. Make observations of nature and natural signs.

b. Explain the nature of Shang-di.

c. Provide a foundation for Hinduism.

d. All of the above.

12. (w) Characteristics of Daoism include

a. Cultivation of traditional ritual performances.

b. The concept of ren.

c. Individual retreat.

d. All of the above.

13. In Chinese art influenced by Daoism you will typically see

a. That human beings can find transcendent harmony in the vast natural world.

b. The equal importance given to humans, animals, and nature.

c. That humans are gods.

d. That only nature contains divinity.

14. (w) The political message of Daoism was

a. Return to primal simplicity, with the state interfering as little as possible.

b. To live a simple life and conform to the state’s expectations.

c. The state controls civil life so that individuals can meditate.

d. To follow rules, especially filial piety.

15. Exploring the mysterious reality of the Dao in everyday life, which teacher lived several centuries after the founding of Daoism and authored the Zhuang Zi?

a. Lao Zi.

b. Master K’ung.

c. Mencius.

d. Chuang Tzu.

16. (w) At the popular level, religious Daoism eventually incorporated which of the following into the Daoist pantheon?

a. Jesus, the Buddha, and Ganesh.

b. Lao Zi, the Buddha, and Guanyin.

c. The Buddha, Guanyin, and Muhammad.

d. Kitchen god, Master K’ung, and Mencius.

17. The “Mandate of Heaven” means

a. A dynasty is awarded rule by the people.

b. A dynasty is authorized to rule as long as it rules by virtue.

c. Potential leaders cannot rebel under any circumstances.

d. The spirits and ancestors of the dynasty confer rule.

18. Probably the most important and widely honored ritual practice all across East Asia is

a. Kowtowing.

b. The death ritual.

c. Sacrifices of food and wine.

d. Sacrifices of live animals.

19. Characteristics of yang include

a. Bright.

b. Dark.

c. Valley.

d. Earth.

20. (w) What tradition teaches that the person is “a center of relatedness”?

a. Daoism.

b. Confucianism.

c. Shinto.

d. Diffuse religion.

21. The Communist Party passed a law in 2013 requiring children to call parents regularly and act on their

a. Family rituals.

b. Filial piety.

c. Wu-wei.

d. All of the above.

22. (w) The compilation of Master K’ung’s teaching episodes, anecdotes, and aphorism is called the

a. Mandate of Heaven.

b. Analects.

c. Tao Te Ching.

d. None of the above.

23. The indigenous Japanese deities are called

a. Ren.

b. Kitchen gods.

c. Hsaio.

d. Kami.

24. The Japanese tradition of worshipping its own distinct deities, who remain eternally present, is called

a. Neo-Confucianism.

b. Neo-Daoism.

c. Ch’ondogyo.

d. Shinto.

25. Thirty-two percent of the South Korean population is

a. Confucist

b. Daoist.

c. Christian.

d. Buddhist.

26. The Confucian vision says that society can only be in harmony if individuals conform to the dictates of the

a. Mandate of Heaven.

b. Dao.

c. Five Hierarchical Relationships.

d. None of the above.

27. A growing religion in South Korea that combines Pure Land and Zen teachings, and is especially popular in major urban areas and with women, is called

a. Shamanism.

b. Tantra.

c. Won Buddhism.

d. Shen.

28. The religious traditions referred to in the phrase “the unity of the three faiths” are

a. Confucianism, Daoism, and Shintoism.

b. Buddhism, Shintoism, and Ch’ondogyo.

c. Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.

d. Neo-Shintoism, Zen, and Confucianism.

29. (w) When the Chinese first had regular contact with the Europeans in the 1500s, they

a. Warmly embraced the Europeans.

b. Considered Europeans “barbarians.”

c. Admired the Europeans.

d. None of the above.

30. After Buddhism was established in China, it spread

a. First to Korea, then from Korea to Japan.

b. First to Japan, then from Japan to Korea.

c. First to Japan, then from Japan to India.

d. First to Korea, then from Korea to Tibet.

31. Founded in 1990, Eastern Lightning emerged into public awareness near the end of 2012, when it widely publicized

a. That the end of the world was about to begin.

b. The earth would be devastated.

c. Three days of darkness would be followed by 72 days of natural disasters.

d. All of the above.

32. (w) The kami of the sun, a goddess, is called

a. Amaterasu.

b. Guan Yu.

c. Soka Gakkai.

d. Qing-Ming.

33. (w) Characteristics of yin include

a. Bright.

b. Dark.

c. Mountain.

d. Heaven.

34. Which healing art draws upon Daoist theories of vital energy in the body and awakening its force?

a. Qi gong.

b. Li.

c. Hsaio.

d. Wu-wei.

35. (w) The most “Confucian” nation in East Asia is

a. Japan.

b. Vietnam.

c. South Korea.

d. China.

36. In traditional Chinese and Korean homes, which deity records household goings on and composes a yearly report?

a. Magistrate.

b. The city god.

c. Jade Emperor.

d. Zao Wangye or the kitchen god.

37. (w) Characteristics of Confucianism include

a. Active social service.

b. Monasticism.

c. Individual retreat.

d. All of the above.

38. (w) Which religion in Korea merged elements of Confucianism and Daoism, was an indigenous response to the challenge of Christianity, and became one of Korea’s major religions?

a. Neo-Sintoism.

b. Ch’ondogya.

c. Nichiren.

d. Soka Gakkai.

39. Which term refers to the ancient practices rooted in ancestor veneration and spirit worship becoming blended with elements of Daoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism?

a. Neo-Confucianism.

b. Spirit deism.

c. Diffuse religion.

d. Ling.

40. Followers of Hong Xiuquan and his militant sect in the nineteenth century were called

a. Neo-Daoists.

b. Ch’ondogyo members.

c. Soka Gakkias.

d. Taipings.

True/False

1. (w) Daoism was established as a philosophical system in the first century bce by Master D’ao.

2. Only in China is the birthday of Confucius celebrated today.

3. (w) Confucianism was established as a system of moral observance and ritual performance in the sixth century bce by Master D’ao.

4. It was in the “Formative Era,” from 1122 BCE to 220 CE, that the great sages arose whose teachings would strongly influence the entire region of East Asia.

5. (w) A common belief in the “diffuse religion” of East Asia is that there is a natural hierarchy in the world that extends to one’s departed kin.

6. (w) The term “diffuse religion” refers to the dispersal of a specific religious tradition.

7. Oracle bone divination is an East Asian ritual from postmodern times.

8. (w) In religious Daoism, shen refers to “spirit.”

9. According to Daoism, “yin” stands for male, bright, and spring.

10. Ancestor worship is the worship, feeding, and petitioning of the souls of dead ancestors.

11. (w) The Daodejing is attributed to an anonymous “Old Baby,” or Lao Zi.

12. Lightning Deng’s most widely distributed book, Lightning from the Orient, proclaims itself the Word of God.

13. (w) The Chinese people have a history of having accorded great respect to past traditions.

14. (w) The early Daoists agreed with the Confucians that imposing rules and artificial practices on people was good for society.

15. In the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake, people turned to Shinto rituals performed by priests to restore the balance between the human and the divine, bless the construction sites, and pacify the local kami.

16. The practice of alchemy is not associated with early Confucianism.

17. Early on, the Confucian worldview established the self as a center for multiple relationships determined by gender, generational location in the family, and status in the empire.

18. (w) The Analects are a compilation of Master K’ung’s teachings, anecdotes, and sayings.

19. (w) Buddhism was imported into China in the seventh century.

20. (w) Confucianists viewed the Buddhist ideal of monastic retreat as antisocial behavior.

21. East Asia’s belief in karma originated in the Shinto tradition of Japan.

22. The Chinese government has embraced Dongfang Shǎndiàn (Eastern Lightning).

23. Korea discovered Buddhism, then spread it to Japan, then China.

24. The effects of colonialism may have been highly destructive to the culture of East Asia, but some good still came out of it in the form of religious innovation.

25. (w) The influence of Buddhism was never the same in China after the anti-Buddhist policies of Emperor Wu-zong around 845.

26. (w) Chinese concept of Shang-di means one supreme lord above.

27. Icons of the triple gods—Longevity, Wealth, and Blessings—are typically found in Chinese homes and temples.

28. (w) The Pure Land school of Buddhism reveres self-reliance as the ideal model for human behavior.

29. Pure Land is the largest Buddhist school in Japan today.

30. (w) In Japan, the only Buddhist school that has survived is Zen.

31. The Chinese liked and admired Europeans at their first meeting in the sixteenth century.

32. (w) One effect of imperialism in East Asia was the strengthening of the unchallenged Confucian influence in every country.

33. (w) The worldview that Confucianism promotes can be viewed as a circle with the community at the center.

34. The 1949 banning of Ch’ondogyo in Korea caused it to die out completely in both North Korea and South Korea.

35. (w) The term “the three faiths” refers to Confucianism, Daoism, and Christianity.

36. China has been the formative center of the East Asian region from earliest antiquity.

37. (w) The Shang notion of reciprocity between dead and living remains to this day a central aspect of East Asian religions.

38. (w) Mao believed it was possible to combine communist rule with strong religious traditions.

39. The Shinto pantheon is nonhierarchical, with no one deity placed above the others.

40. An East Asian funeral requires burial two days after death and longer in well-to-do families.

Fill in the Blank

1. (w) You would find an icon of the deity _______ in a traditional Chinese and Korean home, where from the kitchen hearth he records household goings on.

2. (w) _______ determines all things and flows naturally as the mysterious and spontaneous energy of the universe.

3. (w) The _______ Party in China recently reversed its stand and turned back to the teachings of Confucius to encourage a sense of nationalism.

4. (w) Alchemy, acupuncture, feng shui, and I Ching divination were originally aspects of the religious tradition called _______.

5. (w) Ch’ondogyo was founded in 1860 and became one of the major religions of the East Asian country _______.

6. Korea’s Ch’ondogyo, which merged elements of Confucianism and Daoism, was an indigenous response to the challenge of newly imported _______.

7. China’s medieval scholars, known as neo-Confucianists by Westerners, were influenced by _______.

8. (w) The literate culture of China has used the same written language for more than 2,000 years, called _______. This language is also the original dialect spoken by the Han.

9. (w) As part of Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II the emperor was forced to _______ his divinity.

10. Shamanic traditions are today stronger in _______ than elsewhere in East Asia.

11. (w) From earliest antiquity, _______ has been the “culture hearth zone” of East Asia.

12. Active social service, practicing traditional rituals, and the concept of ren are characteristics of _______.

13. The bond between parent and _______ is the model for the Confucian ideal of filial piety.

14. Twin complementary forces by which the Dao is known are _______.

15. (w) Directly stemming from Nichiren Buddhism, the lay organization called Soka Gakkai is today the largest new religion of _______.

16. (w) Monasticism, individual retreat, and the concept of wu-wei are characteristics of the religion _______.

17. A theory propounded by Mencius applied _______ ideals to the destiny of the state, teaching that if a dynasty rules by virtue, then it receives the “Mandate of Heaven.”

18. As taught by Daoism, the path of noninterference is known as _______.

19. The most important aspect of the li is the individual’s conduct within the _______.

20. After the Daodejing, the second _______ classic is the Zhuang Zi.

21. (w) Mahayana Buddhism entered Korea through missions by _______ monks.

22. (w) At the popular level, the Daoist pantheon includes Lao Zi, Guanyin, and the _______.

23. (w) The Japanese tradition of worshipping its own distinct deities is called _______.

24. Early Jesuit missionaries gave the name Confucius to images of Master _______.

25. Imperialism ended the unchallenged influence of the _______ elite in East Asia.

26. (w) The branch of Buddhism called _______ became the most influential in the East Asian country of Korea.

27. (w) The most important and widely honored ritual practice across East Asia is the _______ ritual.

28. One trait of a “new religion” in Japan is being founded by a _______ leader.

29. _______ is the “earth ruler” believed to control fertility worshipped by farmers in early China.

30. Imperialism, also called _______, forcibly changed the economic systems of East Asia.

31. (w) By the end of the Han and after centuries of state support, _______ ethics centered on hierarchy and mutual obligation.

32. The “civil religion” that formed in Japan in conjunction with neo-Shintoism was thoroughly _______ in character.

33. (w) The large Tenrikyo “Religion of Heavenly Wisdom” is considered a _______-related sect.

34. Ch'ondogyo, one of the major religions in _______ merges elements of Confucianism and Daoism.

35. Most common festivals of East Asia have Chinese or _______ origins.

36. In 2006, an introduction to _______ thought and its applications to contemporary life was one of China’s best-selling books.

37. (w) The spiritual formation of Korea for its first 1,000 years was dominated by _______.

38. _______ in Korea enjoy high status and popularity and now have a growing following.

39. Most Shinto shrines include a _______, a symbol of the sun goddess, Amaterasu.

40. (w) _______ traditions are today stronger in Korea than anywhere else in East Asia.

Discussion

1. Explain the phrase “diffuse religion”.

2. (w) Shared ritualism may be considered what gives East Asia the most unity in religious and cultural areas. What are some of these shared rituals?

3. Discuss the significance of the date January 1 in Japan and what typically happens on that day.

4. (w) List some of the characteristics both of yin and yang and explain how each side relates to the other.

5. Discuss three effects of imperialism or colonialism on the countries of East Asia.

6. (w) Explain what the post–World War II “economic miracle” refers to.

7. (w) How did Confucian humanism contribute to East Asia’s ultimately successful response to the challenges brought by colonialism?

8. What is it about South Korea that suggests it is the most Confucian nation in East Asia?

9. (w) Explain how Shinto practice helped people after the 2011 tsunami and earthquake.

10. Explain why the theology of Ch’ondogyo, that humans bear divinity, was such a revolutionary idea in late-nineteenth-century Korea.

11. (w) Explain the role of a kitchen god icon in a traditional Chinese or Korean home.

12. Briefly describe the differences in Confucianism and Daoism, as they were both founded in the premodern era.