China Quiz Index

How well do you know China? Test your knowledge with our wide range of quizzes. Our quizzes are designed to test your knowledge of China and all things Chinese. We plan to add more quizzes, so send your comments and feedback for subjects you would like us to cover. All the questions have their answer somewhere on this web site. The order of questions and possible answers are different each time you take the test. Most people find these quizzes pretty tough so don't be discouraged. The picture quizzes ask you to identify well known landmarks in China.

Most quizzes are 15 questions long. At the end we give you a summary of the results and an opportunity to share your truiumph on Facebook.

General quiz about China 1
(Starter level)

General quiz about China 2
(Intermediate level)

General quiz about China 3
(Advanced level)

General quiz about China 4
(Intermediate level)

General quiz about China 5
(Intermediate level)

General quiz about China 6
(Intermediate level)

China History quiz 1
(Intermediate level)

China History quiz 2
(Advanced level)

China History quiz 3
(Intermediate level)

China History quiz 4
(Intermediate level)

China Geography quiz
(Intermediate level)

China Language quiz
(Starter level)

China Picture quiz 1
(Starter level)

China Picture quiz 2
(Advanced level)

Wed 6^th Feb

Pieces of Eight

It is little known that for China it was the trade across the Pacific in the 16th and 17th centuries that really opened up international trade and not the Portuguese at Macau. When the pope divided the world between the Spanish and Portuguese the line drawn had wide repercussions. Portugal could trade from Europe via the Cape of Good Hope to the Spice Islands and China while Spain had the control of trade to Mexico ('New Spain') and then over the Pacific to East Asia. The discovery of huge amounts of silver in Mexico and Peru gave the Spanish something with which to buy Chinese luxury goods. The Spanish dollar 'pieces of eight' became the common currency and it was on this coin that the American dollar was based (and later the Hong Kong dollar). Many of the luxury items from China that arrived in Mexico were carried over to the eastern coast and from thence by sea to Europe. It was a very lucrative trade and only ended when Mexico gained independence and the opium trade began. The trade is less well known because the main port was not on the Chinese mainland but at Manilla in the Philippines where a thriving Chinese colony rapidly expanded.

This page on SCMP gives a huge amount of interesting information about this trade route, including the details of how the mighty galleons were built.

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