Asian Art Terms You Must 'K'now! Quiz

Answer: Kago

There are many different styles of kago (for example 'hana-kago' are flower baskets), and several mediums employed for their creation, for example bamboo, grass, wood and steel.

Answer: Kali

Kali must certainly be a favorite of Hindu artists, she is represented often in Hindu art with her tongue sticking out and a garland of skulls hanging from her neck, she is a fearsome aspect of the Hindu goddess Durga and/or Parvati.

Answer: Chinese characters

The word 'Kanji' is simply the Japanese version of the Chinese word for the Chinese characters 'Hanzi'. Many of the Kanji characters are unique creations of the Japanese, using different character parts in original forms.

Answer: Katakana

The Katakana script was invented by Kibi-no-Makibi in the 8th century AD in an attempt to simplify the complicated Kanji script. Nowadays the Katakana script is used to write foreign words and names.

Answer: Ketupat

Ketupat rice cakes can be wrapped in palm or coconut leaves and are considered an art specialty. There are about 30 different shapes of ketupat, each used for specific purposes and special occasions.

Answer: Rhinoceros bird

The Ngaju people are a tribe of Borneo that practice animist rituals. In this particular case, the feathers of the are regarded as the landing place for descending spirits from heaven. Unfortunately the rhinoceros-bird has become very rare, its an endangered species, making the feathers much more difficult to come by.

Answer: Warrior or noble class

The Ksatriya or warrior class has traditionally been one of the two most powerful castes of the Hindu socio-religious system, and this term infiltrated the Indonesian world along with the Hindu religion and culture during the first millennium AD. Now only the island of Bali remains primarily Hindu amongst the various Indonesian islands.

There, in theater, the Ksatriya represents a nobleman or warrior-hero.

Answer: Ku-tei

The Japanese are very fond of gardens, and their styles vary greatly. One style which has particularly caught the attention of Westerners is the Zen rock garden, also called 'ku-tei'. The term 'ku-tei' means 'empty garden', a fitting term for these rock gardens which, as the name suggests, only contain rocks of different sizes.

A ku-tei garden is easy to tend, you just need a rake and steady head.

Answer: Kailasa

'Kailasa' means 'shining crystal', and is the abode of the Hindu god Shiva. Kailasa is the physical manifestation of the spiritual Mt. Meru.

Answer: Dagger

The Keris is typically a very artistically crafted wavy-bladed dagger found in Malaysia. The Keris Majapahit usually has a hilt shaped like a human figure welded on. The Keris Buda has a relatively straight blade with hilt attached. Most families that are relatively well off have a keris (or several), passed down from generation to generation. Okay...another quiz down, but a bunch more to go! Next up? 'L' terms...see you there!