May Quiz

A monthly quiz of general history, traditions, geography questions for May
1. In which dynasty did Emperor Qianlong rule?
Yuan
Qing
Han
Taichi, people
Practicing traditional martial art (taijiquan or taichi) Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

2. How would you say 'next month' in Chinese?
明年 míng nián
下个月 xià gè yuè
后天 hòu tiān
family, people, traditional dress, silk
Father and son

3. A meeting at Lushan in 1959 brought an end to the career of which revolutionary leader
Peng Dehuai
Deng Xiaoping
Lin Biao
Jiangxi, Lushan, waterfall
Waterfall on Lushan mountains, Jiangxi

4. In which Chinese province was the 14th Dalai Lama (present leader) born?
Tibet
Beijing
Qinghai
Buddhism , prayer wheel
Buddhist prayer wheels at Wudang temple, Inner Mongolia

5. Which of these is NOT part of the Buddhist eightfold path to enlightenment
meditation
reject evil
abstain from sex
luohan, Buddhism
A luóhàn (arhat), found at Yixian, Hebei province, Liao dynasty (907-1125). British Museum, London. Image by David Castor available under a Creative Commons License

6. Why is rice planted in water?
provide nutrients
suppress weeds
maintain moisture level
rice, Yunnan
Sheaves of rice set out to dry, Yuanyang, Yunnan

7. Wade-Giles is a method for doing what?
Writing Chinese with English letters
Decorating porcelain
Processing tea
pine tree, carving
Traditional carving of a pine tree, a symbol of longevity

8. Which European scientist considered the Yi Jing as proof of ancient knowledge of binary arithmetic?
Leibniz
Francis Bacon
Descartes
yi jing
Three gold coins used for Yi Jing fortune telling

9. Under which British sovereign was the first official embassy sent off to China?
King Edward VI
King Charles II
King George III
Macartney, embassy, kowtow
William Alexander's drawing of the reception of the Macartney embassy to China. Young Thomas Staunton (kneeling not kowtowing) receives a gift from the Emperor. Image by William Alexander available under a Creative Commons License

10. Which country other than Britain took part in the Opium Wars with China?
Portugal
France
Prussia
opium war, sea battle, junk, boat, ship
The East India Company iron steam ship Nemesis, commanded by Lieutenant W. H. Hall, with boats from the Sulphur, Calliope, Larne and Starling, destroying the Chinese war junks in Anson's Bay, on 7 January 1841. Image by Edward Duncan available under a Creative Commons License

11. An auspicious arrangement of hills is sometimes called?
springing tiger
sleeping phoenix
hidden dragon
Zhejiang, mountains, view
Zhejiang scenery near Hangzhou including a tea plantation

12. The noon day gun is fired every day where?
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Xiamen
window lattice, Forbidden City, Beijing
Ancient Lattice Windows at the Forbidden City, Beijing

13. When did the first known Chinese person visit Britain?
1685
1924
1357
christian, Shen Fuzong

14. The 'Peony Pavilion' is a famous what?
painting
opera
sexual position
bamboo
“Bamboo under Spring Rain” by Xia Chang, 1388-1470. Philadelphia Museum of Art
Image for Google Art Project available under a Creative Commons license

15. The Uyghur people number over 8 million in which province do they mainly live?
Xinjiang
Gansu
Shanxi
Bejing, street, mcdonalds, people, PKChina-34
Beijing street. September 2019. Image by Paul Kerswill
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