September Quiz

A monthly quiz of general history, traditions, geography questions for September
1. Reginald Johnston was famous in China in what position?
Governor of Hong Kong
Tutor to the last Emperor
First Ambassador
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

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

3. The 'Five Avenues' (Wudadao) is an area of colonial buildings in which city?
Tianjin
Fuzhou
Beijing
city, Xiamen, modern architecture, skyscraper
New housing, Xiamen

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

5. Liu Jin in 1510CE accumulated four million pounds of gold in just four years. What was his profession?
Silk merchant
Imperial eunuch
Provincial governor
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

6. If a character in traditional Chinese opera wears black make-up what does it denote?
Villain
Invisibility
Wisdom
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

7. What is the ideal depth of water for a paddy field?
1 foot
3 inches
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. Why is Ginseng mainly considered a potent medicine?
root shape
grows in graveyards
scent of leaves
Shandong, Taishan, mountains, moon gate
View of Mount Taishan, Shandong

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

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

11. What does a carp symbolize a wish for in artwork?
Good luck
long life
promotion
fish, lotus

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

13. There is a festival on the ninth day of the ninth month (double ninth) which is also known by what name?
Chinese Valentine's Day
Zhong yang
Hungry Ghost festival
tea plantation, children
Girl wearing a traditional dress holds a glass of green tea

14. Nu Mengjiang is associated with which event in Chinese history?
building the Great Wall
Han dynasty Empress
digging the Grand Canal
duck, food, agriculture
Peking ducks

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