The fundamental purpose of Neo-Confucianism was a. to diminish the disproportionate influence of the aristocracy. b. to unite the metaphysical speculations of Buddhism and Daoism with the pragmatic Confucian approach to society. c. to broaden the base of literacy in Chinese society. d. to preserve the essentials of the traditional Chinese way of life in the face of Western advances. e. to re-assess the worth of the individual within traditional Chinese society.