For the Confucius Nations they have historically a strong centralized state in comparison to European States

Who have traditionally been monarchies with a ruling warrior class

We also had the destruction of the Roman empire which Europe and the successor kingdoms it took him toll the 15th century for

Central authority to be restored and by that time it had developed vastly differently to its Roman predecessor

As for China it has had a strong centralized state since 223 BC so religion never came to be a alternative source of power