September Quiz

A monthly quiz of general history, traditions, geography questions for September
1. Liu Jin in 1510CE accumulated four million pounds of gold in just four years. What was his profession?
Silk merchant
Imperial eunuch
Porcelain manufacturer
palace, eunuch, Beijing
Entrance through the Gate of Peace at the Lama Temple Beijing (Yonghegong), or Palace of Peace and Harmony Lama Temple or Yonghegong Lamsery, a renowned lama temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism. Building work on the YongHeGong Temple started in 1694 during the Qing Dynasty. It originally served as an official residence for court eunuchs. It was then converted into the court of Prince Yong Zheng (Yin Zhen), a son of emperor KangXi. After YongZheng's ascension to the throne in 1722, half of the building was converted into a lamasery, a monastery for monks of Tibetan Buddhism, while the other half remained an imperial palace. November 2006. Image by Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada available under a Creative Commons license

2. Nu Mengjiang is associated with which event in Chinese history?
flood in 1459
Han dynasty Empress
building the Great Wall
Nanjing, Jiangsu
Nanjing skyline. September 2012.
Image by Ozonefrance available under a Creative Commons license

3. The second Yi Jing hexagram is called what?
Kun - earth
Yu - delight
Qian - initiating
yi jing
Three gold coins used for Yi Jing fortune telling

4. There is a festival on the ninth day of the ninth month (double ninth) which is also known by what name?
Zhong yang
Mid Autumn festival
Hungry Ghost festival
Emperor Qianlong, Qing dynasty
Emperor Qianlong's Pleasure during Snowy Weather. c. 1736-1738. From Chiumei Ho: The Glorious Reign of Emperor Qianlong, London 2004. Painting by Giuseppe Castiglione (1688?1766). Available under a Creative Commons license .

5. Why is Ginseng mainly considered a potent medicine?
flower shape
grows in graveyards
root shape
Shandong, Taishan, mountains, moon gate
View of Mount Taishan, Shandong

6. Kowloon town within the city of Hong Kong means what in English?
Nine dragons
Prosperous harbor
Crane Hill
Hong Kong, park, modern housing
A pavilion located at Nan Liang Garden in Hong Kong

7. What is the ideal depth of water for a paddy field?
1 foot
1 inch
6 inches
rice, paddy fields
Planting rice in paddy fields. Yangshuo, Guangxi, China Photo by Corto Maltese 1999 available under a Creative Commons license .

8. Mukden is an old name for which Chinese city
Harbin
Shenyang
Xi'an
machuria raliway, share certificate
Stock Certificate of South Manchuria Railway (1926-45) Image by South Manchuria Railway available under a Creative Commons License

9. What does a carp symbolize a wish for in artwork?
children
peace
Good luck
fish, lotus

10. What are foxes associated with in China?
romance
evil spirits
cunning
fox

11. Reginald Johnston was famous in China in what position?
Tutor to the last Emperor
Army General
Governor of Hong Kong
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

12. The founder of the Han dynasty Liu Bei had his powerbase in which modern province?
Jiangsu
Sichuan
Henan
Han dynasty, dance, dancer
China, rustic dancers, eastern han dynasty (25-220). Image by sailko available under a Creative Commons License

13. The 'Five Avenues' (Wudadao) is an area of colonial buildings in which city?
Tianjin
Shanghai
Beijing
Hunan, mountains, landform, view
Zhangjiajie mountains, Hunan

14. If a character in traditional Chinese opera wears black make-up what does it denote?
Invisibility
Wisdom
Villain
opera, Beijing opera, costume
China National Peking Opera Company performing the Red Haired Galloping Horse opera at Meilanfang theatre in Beijing, China Copyright © Dreamstime see image license

15. A Jewish community has lived for many centuries in which Chinese city?
Tianjin
Xi'an
Kaifeng
Kaifeng, jews
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