History Quiz 1

Starter level quiz about the long history of China.
1. What was the highest grade in the old civil service examination system?
Juren
Xiucai
Jinshi
examinations, Beijing
Examination hall in Beijing. John Clark Ridpath (1899)
Image available under a Creative Commons license

2. The ancient Shu kingdom is centered on which modern province?
Sichuan
Fujian
Guizhou
Shang dynasty, Sichuan, Sanxing, archaeology

3. Bronze vessels reached their zenith of intricate design in which dynasty?
Yuan
Han
Shang
Shang dynasty, bronze, tiger
Early bronze tiger mask

4. Which Emperor built the Forbidden City in Beijing?
Emperor Hongwu
Emperor Yongle
Emperor Kangxi
Forbidden City, Beijing
Forbidden City, Beijing. Copyright Richard Wingfield, October 2017.

5. Marco Polo originated from which European city
Venice
Florence
Madrid
Marco Polo
Marco Polo in Tartar costume. Source: Scann? de Coureurs des mers, Poivre d'Arvor. Photo by Grevembrock, available under a Creative Commons license .

6. The Diaoyu islands were a cause of international tensions in 2012 between China and which other country?
Vietnam
Malaysia
Japan
Paracel islands, South China Sea, U.S. navy
SOUTH CHINA SEA (Oct. 15, 2012) The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) is underway in the South China Sea. George Washington and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Image by U.S. Navy available under a Creative Commons License

7. The flag of Hong Kong shows which flower?
Lotus
Chrysanthemum
Orchid tree
Hong Kong, Buddhism, gateway
The Po Lin Monastery Hong Kong with its famous Big Buddha statue

8. The Yellow Emperor is believed to have lived how long ago?
4,500 years ago
10,000 years ago
2,500 years ago
huangdi, deity
Modern sculpture of two legendary Chinese Emperors

9. In 1762 the population of China had reached how many?
150 million
200 million
500 million
Tiananmen Square, crowd
2004 PRC National Day at Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China. What a crowd! Image by pfctdayelise available under a Creative Commons License

10. Who ordered the construction of the famous marble boat at the Summer Palace, Beijing?
Yuan Shikai
Dowager Empress Cixi
Sun Yatsen
Summer Palace, Beijing
A long corridor at the Summer Palace, Beijing

11. Which historical figure made Chinese silk the must have fabric in ancient times?
Queen Boadicea
Queen Cleopatra of Egypt
Emperor Caligula
silk, children
Children wearing traditional silk clothes

12. What was Zhou Enlai's position in the Chinese government 1949-76
Premier
Chairman
Vice President
Zhou Enlai,  Deng Yingchao,  Sun Weishi
Deng Yingchao and Zhou Enlai with adopted daughter Sun Weishi. 1949. Image by Unknown available under a Creative Commons License

13. The 'Treaty of Tianjin' was signed during which conflict?
Sino-Russian War
Opium Wars
Taiping Rebellion
Tianjin
Tianjin City. March 2008.
Image by ASDFGH available under a Creative Commons license

14. The Art of War was written by which ancient author?
Sun Wu (Tzu)
Kongfuzi (Confucius)
Sima Rangju
warrior, statue
Clay model of Mongol warrior

15. Who led the Mongol conquest of southern China which ended the Song dynasty?
Wang Anshi
Kublai Khan
Zhu Yuanzhang
lacquer, song dynasty
A Chinese red lacquer tray over wood with engraved golden foil, from the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD), dated 12th to early 13th century. As the Freer and Sackler Galleries museum description states, in China the gold-engraving technique is called qiangjin. The museum caption states that this method has existed since roughly the 3rd century AD, although it was not until the Song Dynasty era that gold engravings were found on luxury lacquerwares. After a wooden tray was covered with multiple layers of cinnabar-colored lacquer, fine lines were then incised into the new surface. These incisions were then filled with an adhesive of clear lacquer, followed by the pressing of gold foil into the grooves. The two long-tailed birds and a peony plant depicted in this tray are symbolic of longevity and prosperity in Chinese culture, since the Chinese word for "long life" (shou) sounds similar to the words for long-tailed birds (dai shou). Image by PericlesofAthens available under a Creative Commons License

16. Which Chinese city was known as the 'Paris of the East' in the 1920s?
Shanghai
Mukden
Xi'an
Shanghai

17. Japan took control of which province in 1914?
Hebei
Sichuan
Shandong

18. Bao Zheng has a temple commemorated him near Kaifeng, what he is remembered for?
Astronomer
Incorruptible judge
Inventor
pagoda, Kaifeng, religion
The Iron Pagoda of Kaifeng, China, built in 1049 AD during the Song Dynasty.
Image by PericlesofAthens available under a Creative Commons license

19. The robot that trundled around the moon's surface in 2013 was called what?
Heavenly vehicle
People's chariot
Jade rabbit
chang'e;moon goddess;Ren Shuai Ying
嫦娥奔 Chang'e Flying to the Moon Image by Ren Shuai Ying available under a Creative Commons License

20. The Great Game was played out on China's western borders in the 19th century between Russia and which other country?
U.K. (Britain)
India
Persia
Heilongjiang, Harbin, church
Russian style Saint-Sophia Cathedral, Harbin, Heilongjiang
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