How did early Chinese philosophers come to have a long-lasting Essay

How did early Chinese philosophers come to have a long-lasting influence on the - Essay Example Chinese philosophy came to spread throughout the region specifically because of the political and military power of the Chinese kingdoms and later empire. At its height of political power, the Chinese empire was the most advanced in the Far Eastern region with a culture that was based on the teachings of its philosophers. The result was that many of the neighbouring states often sent their young people, especially from the aristocracy, to study in China and this resulted in their being especially influenced by the Chinese philosophers. When these individuals returned to their homelands, they brought back the philosophy that they had learnt with them and ensured its propagation among their people. Because it was the norm for the general population to imitate or follow the example of the ruling class, Chinese philosophy took root in the intellectual development of the region, with many schools of thought being developed for the purpose of ensuring that teachings of Chinese philosophers were further developed and propagated (Ebrey 42). In this manner, Chinese philosophers came to have an immense influence on the later intellectuals in the entire region and this situation also helped in the propagation of the cultural dominance of the Chinese in later years. Among the most influential reasons for the Chinese philosophers’ influence on the intellectual development of the region is that the region already shared a common religion in the form of Buddhism. The fact that a large chunk of the population practiced this religion ensured that Chinese philosophy could be easily accepted by the populations outside of the Chinese empire (Denecke 38). There were instances where Chinese philosophy came to be a part of the basic life of the people of the entire region and this was mainly through its spread by Buddhist monks and scholars.