General quiz about China 2

Empress Wu Zetian was the effective ruler of China for 45 years from 660-700CE in the early days of the Tang dynasty but only had the formal title of Emperor from 690 to 705 (founding the second Zhou dynasty). The historical record is biased against the dangerous precedent of a female ruler. There have only been two other women to be as dominant but they never took the formal title: Empress Lu of the Han dynasty and Dowager Empress Cixi of the last Qing dynasty. To this day in China, women rarely achieve positions of high office. The Standing Committee of the Politburo has never included a woman.

The swiftlet (Aerodramus fuciphagus) produces its nest mainly out of saliva. The saliva gives a gelatinous texture to soup and that is why it is used rather than for its flavor. It is an expensive ingredient, one kg may cost $2000.

走 zǒu is the character for walk, move, run or hasten.

The isolated high pillars are formed by progressive erosion of limestone over millions of years. The Stone forest in Yunnan is another example of dramatic weathering.

The vast mausoleum was for Emperor Qin Shihuangdi (221-210BCE) founder of the Qin dynasty 246 - 210 BCE.

Lanzhou is the provincial capital of Gansu province and has always been a strategically important place as the main river crossing into central China is located here.

Xinjiang has the largest area followed by Tibet and then Inner Mongolia, however if the South China Sea is considered a Chinese province that would be larger.

Traditionally undyed cloth is worn, which is off-white rather than pure white. This is a reversal of the western tradition of wearing black at funerals.

Matteo Ricci reached Macau, China in 1582 and became a great scholar of Chinese language and culture. Although he did not meet the Ming Emperor he was instrumental in converting three senior court officials to Christianity. He died in China in 1610 and is buried in a small Christian cemetery in Beijing.

The Great Wall was a marvel that astounded foreign visitors. The Ming dynasty rebuild of the original Great Wall near Beijing is the most impressive. Mao Zedong had some of it repaired and took foreign dignitaries to see it.

Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the foundation on 1st October 1949 after defeating Chiang Kaishek in a Civil War 1945-49.

The attempted invasion of Japan by the Mongols were defeated by the violent storms at seas as much as by staunch Japanese defense. The first attempt in 1274 and then the Mongols tried again in 1281 when a typhoon drowned thousands of Mongol troops, the term ‘Kamikaze’ (神風 Divine Wind) comes from this incident.

The lower register on a standard Chinese abacus has five balls and the upper register of two balls is changed when five is reached. The abacus has faded from practical use but it is still taught to children as it helps with mental arithmetic skills.

Harbin holds an annual ice sculpture fair at Zhaolin Park from January to March, reflecting the really long, cold winters (typically -22 ° F [-30 ° C]). It gets so cold that fruit and milk are sold in frozen form. Lanterns made out of ice feature at the Chinese New Year festival here.

Shanghai was first developed by the British, and up until 1940 was known colloquially as ‘Britain?s front door to China’. The Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank (HSBC) founded by the Scotsman Sir Thomas Sutherland dominated early investment into China. Although run as the Shanghai International Settlement (1854) the British community predominated; in 1865 of the foreigners 78% were British and 8% American.

Kunming Lake (昆明湖 kūn míng hú) is within the Summer Palace in Beijing - the pleasure gardens of the Qing Emperors. Dowager Empress Cixi's famous marble boat is on the northern bank. It is named after a famous lake at the former capital Chang'an.

The Lantern festival occurs on the full moon following Chinese New Year and so is two weeks after it. Traditionally lanterns are lit and lion dances take place.

The Europeans chose to give the Chinese phoenix, Feng huang 凤凰 the same name as a vaguely similar bird; it does not have the association with rebirth and immortality as with the western creature. It is considered gentle, peaceful and seeing one was a very auspicious sign. In later centuries it came to symbolize the Empress just as the dragon symbolizes the Emperor.

Although paramount leader of China 1978-92, Deng never took the official post of Chairman or President. Li Xiannian was President 1983-88 and Yang Shangkun 1989-93. During this period the President was mainly an honorary title - meeting foreign leaders - rather than holding political power.

9 pounds [4 kgs] of white mulberry leaves are eaten by a silkworm to produce just 0.4 ounces [10.0 grams] of silk.