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Quiz about Asian Art and Culture
Quiz about Asian Art and Culture

Asian Art and Culture Trivia Quiz


Asian art is comprised of several distinct cultures stretching across the larger continent; it is certainly no monolith. Here are ten examples of Asia's cultural heritage.
This is a renovated/adopted version of an old quiz by author thejazzkickazz

A multiple-choice quiz by trident. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
trident
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
17,868
Updated
May 24 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
180
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: alan56 (9/10), Linda_Arizona (8/10), gogetem (7/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. The archaeological sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, both troves of early cultural artifacts, were a part of what historical region? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. In Chinese pottery, Ge ware is a type of greenware that is famous for which of these features?


Question 3 of 10
3. The "haniwa" were ritual and funerary objects created during the Kofun period in Japan (3rd to 6th centuries AD). The figures were made into everyday objects, but perhaps the most popular were the haniwa soldiers dressed in armor. With what material were these simple, early Japanese treasures made? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. After his conversion to Buddhism, Ashoka (268 to 232 BC) of the Mauryan Empire ordered the destruction of thousands of stupas and their artifacts across the subcontinent of India.


Question 5 of 10
5. Famous for numerous pieces of its red-painted pottery being smuggled overseas, in which country would you find the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Ban Chiang? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Chinese Shang dynasty bronze vessels known as "zun" were often formed into the shape of animals and were used for ritualistic purposes. Which of the following did they hold? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Resembling several delicate sets of antlers layered upon each other, the intricate gold crowns of Silla were discovered in burial mounds in the city of Gyeongju in which Asian nation? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Filipino traditional houses known "torogans"? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. Angkor Wat in Cambodia was designed to look like which metaphysical place, the spiritual center of the universe in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Finding itself between the ancient Romans and the Han Chinese, which other empire schemed to prevent these two behemoths from communicating effectively with one another so it wouldn't find itself cut out of the Chinese silk market?



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The archaeological sites of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, both troves of early cultural artifacts, were a part of what historical region?

Answer: Indus Valley

Both Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were sprawling cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, which was a part of the Bronze Age. This Indus Valley stretched over what is now the countries of Pakistan and India. Several artifacts have been excavated from the sites, and several remaining structures demonstrate the Harappans' distinct architecture and capable city planning.
2. In Chinese pottery, Ge ware is a type of greenware that is famous for which of these features?

Answer: crackled glaze pattern

Greenware, also known as celadon, is a kind of pottery that takes on a green color. Ge ware is a form of this greenware in which a distinctive pattern in the glaze makes it look like it is crackled. Though a crackled glaze might have lowered the value of pottery in earlier times, Chinese aristocrats enjoyed the seemingly random patterns of this style of pottery making, and so some artisans of the Five Great Kilns of the Song dynasty began to pursue the crackled glaze as its own unique form.

It was highly valued in China from the tenth century to the thirteenth century.
3. The "haniwa" were ritual and funerary objects created during the Kofun period in Japan (3rd to 6th centuries AD). The figures were made into everyday objects, but perhaps the most popular were the haniwa soldiers dressed in armor. With what material were these simple, early Japanese treasures made?

Answer: terracotta

Haniwa means "circle of clay". These figurines were made in a circular style (wazumi), built from the bottom up. Haniwa-style was used to emphasize substance, rather than form. This style of thinking has pervaded the Japanese culture.

Some of these figures were used to guard tombs and given as funerary offerings.
4. After his conversion to Buddhism, Ashoka (268 to 232 BC) of the Mauryan Empire ordered the destruction of thousands of stupas and their artifacts across the subcontinent of India.

Answer: False

Mauryan legend states that Ashoka began his rule as that of a tyrant, murdering servants and concubines on the smallest of whims. Yet, after he witnessed the devastation of the Kalinga War, he converted to Buddhism and became a changed person. Ashoka ordered the construction of thousands of stupas (religious structures) across the Mauryan Empire, including parts of the famous Mahabodhi Temple.
5. Famous for numerous pieces of its red-painted pottery being smuggled overseas, in which country would you find the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Ban Chiang?

Answer: Thailand

The pottery of Ban Chiang wasn't discovered until 1966 when a political science student tripped over a root and discovered some old-looking pottery on the ground. He brought the old pots to be studied, and excavations began shortly after. This uncovering of many unique and beautiful Southeast Asian artifacts started a smuggling frenzy.

Interestingly, several of these Thai treasures got sold on the black market to buyers not because they wanted to keep them in their homes but instead because they wanted to donate them to museums in order to get enormous tax write-offs for their "generosity."

Several museums got caught up in the scheme, and when they were confronted with evidence that the artifacts were smuggled, they were given two choices: get prosecuted or send the stolen artifacts back to their homeland. All the museums chose to return the artifacts.
6. Chinese Shang dynasty bronze vessels known as "zun" were often formed into the shape of animals and were used for ritualistic purposes. Which of the following did they hold?

Answer: religious wine

Chinese ritual bronzes from the Chinese Bronze Age combine ancient metalcraft with ritualistic flourish. Using either bronze or ceramic, the Chinese "zun" held wine that would not be used for everyday eating. They took on the appearance of animals, or, as in the case of the famous Four-Goat Square Zun held in the National Museum of China, were decorated with intricate animal heads, this one with four incredibly-detailed ram's heads. Like many artifacts, this one was discovered by chance by farmers digging into the earth.
7. Resembling several delicate sets of antlers layered upon each other, the intricate gold crowns of Silla were discovered in burial mounds in the city of Gyeongju in which Asian nation?

Answer: South Korea

The gold crowns of Silla (a former kingdom on the Korean peninsula) were given the celebrated designation of National Treasures of Korea by the South Korean government in the 1960s. Excavated from ancient burial mounds (dating from the 5th-7th centuries AD), the various crowns are each made of gold sheet or gold-plated bronze and are delicate to the touch.

The crowns show the influence of various Asian cultures, with many Korean historians believing that these particular artifacts have direct connections to Iranian culture.
8. Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Filipino traditional houses known "torogans"?

Answer: Grand marble columns with fluted surfaces

Stone columns might fit in with Greek and Roman architecture, but they were mostly impractical for the humid, wet weather of the Philippines. Stilt houses are common in the country, and with the "torogan" you have massive posts as thick as tree trunks elevating these ancestral homes.

The exteriors are decorated with intricate designs, several with butterfly-shaped projections. The last habitable torogan, the Kawayan Torogan, was designated a National Cultural Treasure in 2008.
9. Angkor Wat in Cambodia was designed to look like which metaphysical place, the spiritual center of the universe in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist cosmology?

Answer: Mount Meru

Mount Meru is significant in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. It is a five-peaked mountain and is home to divine beings. In each of these religions, several temples have been constructed to mimic the looks of Mount Meru, including Angkor Wat, the Mahabodhi Temple, and the Brihadishvara Temple.
10. Finding itself between the ancient Romans and the Han Chinese, which other empire schemed to prevent these two behemoths from communicating effectively with one another so it wouldn't find itself cut out of the Chinese silk market?

Answer: Parthian Empire

Chinese officials of the Han Empire attempted to send Ban Chao, a general and explorer, to Europe to seek out the Roman Empire. However, while in Parthia (in present-day Iran), the Parthians convinced him that it wouldn't be worth traveling past the Persian Gulf. The general returned home without having met the Romans.

Chinese silk was popular in ancient Rome, and if the Han Chinese could have made direct contact with the Romans, they may have been able to cut out the middleman. The Parthians, who would have lost much in the lucrative silk market, made sure that didn't happen.
Source: Author trident

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ponycargirl before going online.
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