Why did the Buddhist faith draw many new followers when it first spread into China?
A) It offered consolation and the promise of salvation to a culture beset by warfare.
B) It provided the educated elite an escapist alternative to Confucianism.
C) It provided social order and harmony.
D) It could be practiced without challenging indigenous religious belief systems.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At the time Buddhism spread into China, the country was experiencing a period of warfare and instability. The religion offered a sense of consolation and the promise of salvation to those who were suffering, which made it appealing to many people. Additionally, Buddhism's emphasis on individual spiritual development and the rejection of materialism offered an alternative to the Confucian emphasis on social order and hierarchy, which was attractive to some members of the educated elite. However, Buddhism did not provide social order and harmony itself and it sometimes challenged the indigenous belief systems, so options C and D are not the best choices.

Why Did the Buddhist Faith Draw Many New Followers When