Important Role. From the Tang dynasty (618-907) to the Ming period (1368-1644), several religions and philosophies played important roles in justifying political power, establishing administrative authority, upholding peace and order, maintaining civil values, inspiring faith in the government, and raising public morale in times of crisis. Although the Tang government employed Confucian forms and learning, the rulers often favored Daoism. Chinese Buddhism reached its peak during the Tang era. Buddhist monasteries thrived throughout the empire and fulfilled significant social roles; outstanding monks formulated new doctrines and developed innovative teaching methods. Buddhism prevailed as the major spiritual, intellectual, and aesthetic influence, but the family ethic and political ideology of Confucianism never totally disappeared during the golden age of Chinese Buddhism. In the ninth century, intellectual interest began to move away from Buddhism and return to Confucianism. Influenced greatly by both Daoism and Buddhism, scholars launched the neo-Confucianism movement, a...