China did have a period of individualism, creativity, critical thinking and radical though during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period. Most of the so-called Hundred Schools of Thought are lost, but to give you some examples, the Logicians (名家) focused on definition and logic (see 'White Horse is Not a Horse'); the Mohists (墨家) believed in impartial care and equality; the School of Diplomacy (縱橫家) stressed political and diplomatic tactics, debate, and lobbying; the Agriculturalists (農家) believed in communalism and egalitarianism, with some of their principles being very similar to Communism! Then you also have the Confucians, the Taoists, and the Legalists.

But then Qin Shihuang united all of China and Legalism triumphed over all the other competing philosophies. In order to bring stability to the empire and to stamp out opposition, the Qin banned competing ideologies. If Sima Qian is to be believed, Qin Shihuang ordered all the books of different ideologies burned. I've translated the relevant portion in another post, but here it is again.

According to The Records of the Grand Historian:

丞相李斯曰: 臣請史官非秦記皆燒之。非博士官所職，天下敢有藏詩、書、百家語者，悉詣守、尉雜燒之。有敢偶語詩書者棄市。以古非今者族。吏見知不舉者與同罪。令下三十日不燒，黥為城旦。所不去者，醫藥卜筮種樹之書。若欲有學法令，以吏為師。

Translation:

The Prime Minister Li Si said: Your servant proposes that all historians' records other than those of the Qin's be burned. With the exception of the court erudites whose duties includes possessing books, those [private individuals] under Heaven who possess copies of the The Classic of Poetry, The Classic of History, and the recorded writings of the Hundred Schools of Thoughts shall turn in these books to their governors or commandants for burning. Those who dare discuss The Classic of Poetry in public shall be executed. Anyone who uses history to criticize the present shall be executed along with his family. Officials who witness such violations but fails to report them shall be guilty of the same crime. Anyone who fails to burn the books after thirty days of this decree shall be tattooed and sent to do [hard labor] on the Great Wall. Books on medicine, divination, and forestry are exempt from burning. If there are those who wishes to learn the law, they shall visit their officials to study.

Fast forward to the Western Han, Confucianism replaced Legalism as the dominant ideology. Though Confucianism was more "benevolent" than Legalism, it nonetheless included stringent mechanisms to regulate society so that there is order and peace. All the basic tenets of Confucianism - filial piety, loyalty, virtue, etc. are all designed to control society and suppress individualism. Filial piety, for example, means that the son must obey his parents (in particular the father). For example, in the Liji:

夫為人子者：出必告，反必面，所游必有常，所習必有業。恒言不稱老。年長以倍則父事之，十年以長則兄事之，五年以長則肩隨之。群居五人，則長者必異席。

Translation by James Legge:

A son, when he is going abroad, must inform (his parents where he is going); when he returns, he must present himself before them. Where he travels must be in some fixed (region); what he engages in must be some (reputable) occupation. In ordinary conversation (with his parents), he does not use the term 'old' (with reference to them). He should serve one twice as old as himself as he serves his father, one ten years older than himself as an elder brother; with one five years older he should walk shoulder to shoulder, but (a little) behind him. When five are sitting together, the eldest must have a different mat (by himself).

事親有隱而無犯，左右就養無方，服勤至死，致喪三年。事君有犯而無隱，左右就養有方，服勤至死，方喪三年。事師無犯無隱，左右就養無方，服勤至死，心喪三年。

Translation by James Legge:

In serving his father, (a son) should conceal (his faults), and not openly or strongly remonstrate with him about them; should in every possible way wait on and nourish him, without being tied to definite rules; should serve him laboriously till his death, and then complete the mourning for him for three' years. In serving his ruler, (a minister), should remonstrate with him openly and strongly (about his faults), and make no concealment (of them); should in every possible way wait on and nourish him, but according to definite rules; should serve him laboriously till his death, and should then wear mourning for him according to rule for three years. In serving his master, (a learner) should have nothing to do with openly reproving him or with concealing (his faults); should in every possible way wait upon and serve him, without being tied to definite rules; should serve him laboriously till his death, and mourn for him in heart for three years.

The Confucian five relationships was: ruler-subject, father-son, older brother-young brother, husband-wife, friend-friend. Everyone fit in these relationships and everyone had their own role to play so society won't be in chaos. In Mencius:

父子有親，君臣有義，夫婦有別，長幼有序，朋友有信。

Translation: Between the father and son there should be affection, between the ruler and subject there should be righteousness, between the husband and wife there should be separation to their work, between the old and young there should be a clear order, between the friend and friend there should be fidelity.

For the commoners, even though they probably didn't understand a lot of what Confucius, Mencius, and later scholars are saying, Confucian laws still applied to them. For example, in The Great Ming Code, of the 'Ten Great Crimes', number seven was not being filial to parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and not observing the proper mourning rituals.

七曰不孝謂告言咒罵祖父母父母夫之祖父母父母及祖父母父母在別籍異財若奉養有缺。居父母喪身自嫁娶若作樂釋服從吉聞祖父母父母喪匿不舉哀詐稱祖父母父母死。

Both Korea and Japan followed Neo-Confucianism and implemented its philosophy to control and regulate society. Joseon Korea was, in many respects, even more conservative than the Ming in their belief of Neo-Confucianism. For example, in their mourning rituals, the Koreans chose to follow the approach of the Song Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi rather than the Ming, which had changed some of the mourning stipulations Zhu Xi listed. The Korean's reasoning for this was that Zhu Xi was orthodox, and thus his words should be followed closely (there were, however, exceptions).

TL;DR Qin Shihuang destroyed books of all other philosophies and ways of thought [impact debatable], Confucianism put into place mechanisms to control society.