History Quiz 1

Starter level quiz about the long history of China.
1. The Art of War was written by which ancient author?
Sun Wu (Tzu)
Sima Qian
Sima Rangju
warrior, statue
Clay model of Mongol warrior

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

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

4. What was the highest grade in the old civil service examination system?
Xiucai
Gaokao
Jinshi
examinations, Beijing
Examination hall in Beijing. John Clark Ridpath (1899)
Image available under a Creative Commons license

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

6. Who ordered the construction of the famous marble boat at the Summer Palace, Beijing?
Emperor Puyi
Yuan Shikai
Dowager Empress Cixi
Summer Palace, Beijing
A long corridor at the Summer Palace, Beijing

7. The robot that trundled around the moon's surface in 2013 was called what?
People's chariot
Wallace
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

8. The Diaoyu islands were a cause of international tensions in 2012 between China and which other country?
Malaysia
Japan
Philippines
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

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

10. The Yellow Emperor is believed to have lived how long ago?
2,500 years ago
6,500 years ago
4,500 years ago
huangdi, deity
Modern sculpture of two legendary Chinese Emperors

11. The ancient Shu kingdom is centered on which modern province?
Sichuan
Hubei
Yunnan
Shang dynasty, Sichuan, Sanxing, archaeology

12. What was Zhou Enlai's position in the Chinese government 1949-76
President
Chairman
Premier
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. 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

14. Which Chinese city was known as the 'Paris of the East' in the 1920s?
Shanghai
Hong Kong
Tianjin
Shanghai

15. Bao Zheng has a temple commemorated him near Kaifeng, what he is remembered for?
War hero
Inventor
Incorruptible judge
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

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

17. In 1762 the population of China had reached how many?
100 million
75 million
200 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

18. The 'Treaty of Tianjin' was signed during which conflict?
Boxer Rebellion
Opium Wars
Second World War
Tianjin
Tianjin City. March 2008.
Image by ASDFGH available under a Creative Commons license

19. Which Emperor built the Forbidden City in Beijing?
Emperor Taizu
Emperor Yongle
Emperor Qianlong
Forbidden City, Beijing
Forbidden City, Beijing. Copyright Richard Wingfield, October 2017.

20. Marco Polo originated from which European city
Florence
Monaco
Venice
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 .
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