Traditions Quiz 1

Starter level quiz all about Chinese traditions
1. The Yi Jing (I Ching) system of fortune telling has a system of how many hexagrams?
64
50
32
Yi Jing, I Ching, Song dynasty
A page from a Song Dynasty (960-1279) printed book of the I Ching (Yi Jing, Classic of Changes or Book of Changes) , 17.7x11.9cm, printed book, in the National Central Library in Taipei. Image by Song era print artist available under a Creative Commons License

2. Firecrackers are usually which color in China?
yellow
black
red
lantern festival, festival, fujian
Lantern Festival, Daoist parade of gods (Ngi?ng-s?ng) in Luoyuan, Fuzhou. Image by LuHungnguong available under a Creative Commons License

3. How many types of dragon are there in mahjong?
3
4
1
teahouse, people, mahjong
Drinking tea and playing Mahjong in a park Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

4. Losing what is considered a disaster in China?
memory
virginity
face
Gansu, desert, people
Walking on the Taklimakan desert sand dunes near Dunhuang, Gansu

5. The musical intrument called a 'pipa' is a type of what?
lute
flute
horn
music, guzheng
Guzheng is a traditional Chinese musical instrument belonging to the zither family of string instruments

6. Where might you find a man riding a hen?
at Qing Ming festival
in a Chinese chess set
on a roof

7. An ink stone is used for what?
absorbing ink
create solid marks
grinding ink
imperial inscription, vermillion,  calligraphy, Emperor Qianlong
Part of a memorandum from a high official with a vermillion ink note added by Emperor Qianlong.

8. Confucius and Lao Zi are both said to have lived how long ago?
2,500 years
1,000 years
500 years
Confucius, Beijing
Statue of Confucius at the Imperial Academy (Guozijian) Beijing

9. Which was traditionally NOT added to tea as a flavoring?
jasmine
sugar
orange peel
Fujian, tea plantation
Tea in flower at a plantation in Fujian Province

10. What is Dimsum?
tofu blocks
steamed rice
stuffed boiled dough
Guangdong, Shenzhen, food, shop
A store at Shenzhen Baoan Xixiang market, Guangdong. 2014 Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

11. The Erhu is the most common traditional stringed instrument, how many strings does it have?
4
7
2
Dunhuang, Gansu, music
Musicians in paradise, Yulin cave 25, Dunhuang, Tang Dynasty
Image available under a Creative Commons license

13. Dowager Empress Cixi was very fond of which dog breed?
Boxer
Pekingese
Pug
dog, han dynasty, pottery
A pottery dog from the Chinese Han Dynasty. Image by Gary Lee Todd available under a Creative Commons License

14. Which astrological animal heads the sequence of twelve?
dragon
rat
snake
Hong Kong, zodiac, sculpture
The Garden of the Chinese Zodiac features twelve carved animals in the gardens of Kowloon Walled City Park, Hong Kong

15. What is an 'eye' in mahjong?
high skill level
blue dragon
a pair of tiles
mahjong, game
Playing mahjong at Seattle's Chinatown-International District Night Market, Hing Hay Park, International District, Seattle, Washington. Image by Joe Mabel available under a Creative Commons License

16. Which color was reserved for the roof tiles of Imperial buildings?
green
black
yellow
Qing dynasty, Beihai Park, Beijing, roof
Beijing park pavilion roof

17. When is the next dragon astrological year?
2028
2031
2036
silk, dragon
Silk embroidery of Chinese dragon

18. Which would you NOT expect to find in a Chinese garden?
rocks
lawn
pool
chinoiserie, chinese bridge, garden
Chinese bridge. Apremont Gardens, France. Image by Parc floral available under a Creative Commons License

19. Which plant is mentioned in the Buddhist mantra 'Om mani padme hum'?
lotus
orchid
peony
Buddhism , Mount Emei, Sichuan, elephant
Golden palace at the top of Mount Emei, Sichaun with the world's highest status of Pǔxián Púsà 賢菩薩.

20. In the Dragon dance, the dragon(s) typically chase what?
carp
pearl
tiger
dance, dragon, Foshan, people
Copyright © Dreamstime see image license
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