HISET Social Studies Practice

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the HISET Social Studies Test. Access practice exams and detailed explanations to boost your confidence. Prepare effectively and succeed in your test!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

What ideology heavily influenced the governance during the Tang Dynasty?

Legalism
Daoism
Confucianism
Buddhism

The correct answer is: Confucianism

The governance during the Tang Dynasty was heavily influenced by Confucianism, which emphasized moral integrity, social harmony, and the importance of education in government. Confucian principles laid the groundwork for the bureaucratic system that characterized this period, encouraging civil service examinations that focused on Confucian texts. This ideology helped to promote the idea of a meritocratic government, where officials were selected based on their knowledge and ability rather than nobility or wealth. In contrast, while other ideologies like Legalism and Daoism were prevalent in Chinese thought, they did not take the central role in the political framework of the Tang Dynasty like Confucianism did. Legalism stressed strict laws and harsh punishments, which did not align with the more benevolent governance favored during the Tang. Daoism focused on harmony with nature and individual spiritual growth rather than societal governance, making it less prominent in statecraft at this time. Buddhism, though influential in culture and society, did not shape the political practices and governance as directly as Confucianism.