Chinese Myths and Legends Trivia Quiz

Answer: The Jade Emperor

Or Yu Huang Da Di in Mandarin. He is also known as Heavenly Emperor and Lao Tian Ye or Tian Gong (Heavenly Grandfather). Before there was Heaven and Earth, the universe was an egg-shaped blur. Out of this cosmic egg arose Pangu. After creating the Heaven and Earth, he proclaimed himself the Primordial Heavenly Sage; since he resided in Jade Capital Mount, he was called the Jade Emperor.

He is the ruler of Heaven, Hell and Man and is the God of all Gods.

Answer: Zhu Rong

Born Chong Li, Zhu Rong got his present name from the city of Zhu Rong where he lived. He has the face of a man and the body of a beast. He was the Southern Emperor Yan who was given the responsibility of being in charge of fire in the earthly world by the Jade Emperor. He cruises in the sky riding upon two dragons.

Answer: Lei Gong

Legend has it that during the Tang Dynasty, a filial son was struck by thunder whilst killing a chicken for his mother. On his arrival in Heaven, the Jade Emperor conferred on him the title God of Thunder. The God of Thunder was originally depicted as having the face of a monkey with a long and pointed jaw and eagle-like claws for feet. Later generations changed his appearance to one with a head of a monster, mouth like a chicken's beak and a pair of wings on his shoulders.

He wields a dagger in the left hand and a hammer in the right ready to beat the drums, the sound of thunder.

Answer: Shan Dian Niang Niang

This Goddess is gorgeously dressed in a perfumed coat, red skirt and white trousers. She holds in each hand a mirror from which two flashes of light proceed.
Zhao Jun is a legendary Chinese heroine. Wang Mu Niang Niang is the consort of the Jade Emperor.

Answer: Kunlun Mountains

There is much debate as to whether the Kunlun Mountains mentioned in legends refers to the Kunlun Mountain of the Tibetan Plateau or to the Hindu Kush.

Answer: Heavenly Deaf and Earthly Dumb

Wen Chang is usually depicted sitting down, dressed in the robes of a Mandarin and holding a sceptre, the 'ruyi' (wish fulfilling).
Tian Long (Heavenly Deaf) and Di Ya (Earthly Dumb) are so called because they cannot reveal the secrets of how Wen Chang distributes the intellectual gifts, literary skills, ranks and titles of scholars on earth etc.

Answer: King Yama

Some legends put the number of levels of hell as eight. Each level of hell corresponds to a different type of punishment for different crimes. For example, 'The Pounding Hell' is for murderers who are pounded for punishment or 'The Oil Cauldron Hell' where rapists, sexual offenders and adulterers are fried in oil.

Answer: The Eight Immortals

Of the Eight Immortals, Lu Yong, Zhong Li Quan and Zhang Guotao were real historical people. As they were venerated by the people and the emperor, they were made immortal deities upon their death. The others are to be found in fables and romances.
As for the Sages of the Bamboo Grove, there are seven of them and there are three Heavenly Officials.
Every administrative region, town or large village which are surrounded by walls are protected by the Gods of Walls and Ditches. Hence their Chinese name Cheng Huang. They are usually deified human beings who in their lifetime have provided protection and service to others.

Answer: Peach

He is easily recognisable as an old man with pure white eyebrows, long flowing white beard and by his enormous, high domed bald head. He also carries a multi-jointed, long walking stick. He is often accompanied by a stork and a turtle, both also symbols of immortality, as these creatures were supposed to live long lives.

Answer: Fu Xing

In Chinese households, the word 'Fu' (happiness or luck) would be written in bold calligraphy and hung upside down as the Chinese word for 'upside down' and 'arrive' are homophones. Hence 'luck/happiness upside down' sounds like 'luck/happiness is arriving'. In Chinese, 'bat' and 'happiness' are homophones and that is why bats are deemed good luck creatures in Chinese culture.
Huli is a fox.
Ma Gu is a female immortal with eternal youth. Long Wang is the Dragon King.

Answer: Lu Xing

Lu Xing is depicted either holding a child or a scroll, both symbols of prosperity.
Lu Xing together with Fu Xing and Shou Xing are called San Xing (The Three Star Gods), popularly called Fu Lu Shou. They are customarily displayed in Chinese homes in the hope that happiness, prosperity and longevity would be brought into the household.
Wan Sui means long life. It's also a form of address to the emperor equivalent to Your Majesty.
Dong Yue Da Di is the great Emperor of the Eastern Peak.
Yue Fei was a famous Southern Song Dynasty patriot and military general.

Answer: Madam White Snake

This story originated during the Tang Dynasty (618 AD - 907 AD) and is set during the Southern Song Dynasty (420 AD - 479 AD). It is also known as 'The Legend of the White Snake' and is a very popular theme in the history of Chinese operas.

Answer: Hou Tu Niang Niang

Hou Tu initially started out as a male deity but somehow during the 14th century he became a she. According to one legend, an official of Guangling Prefecture suffered a serious disease. As a last resort, his family went to the Hou Tu temple to pray for him. That night, the official had a dream whereby a woman wearing pearl earrings and shoes and dressed in a dress of shells and jade gave him a prescription to cure his disease. Upon waking up, he decocted the medicine as instructed and recovered soon after. Thus the statues of Hou Tu were moulded into the image of a woman and worshipped as Hou Tu Niang Niang.

Answer: Fox

During the Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD), stories about foxes seen emerging from graves and coffins led to the belief that these were fox fairies or the spirits and ghosts of the departed. It was only during the Jin Dynasty (265 AD - 420 AD) that stories about foxes 'changing into human beings' came about. Most of the fox legends can be found in the book by Pu Songling (1640 - 1715) entitled 'Liaozhai Zhiyi' (Strange Tales of Liaozhai or Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio).

The Fox Fairy was also worshipped in some homes as 'the Fairy Guarding the Official Seal' for it was said that such worship could prevent burglary.

Answer: The ox-headed and horse-faced goalers

As the name suggest, the ox-headed goaler had an ox head and a man's body and he carries a trident. The other goaler was also human in form but had the face of a horse and he carried with him a spear. They perform their duties together and are like brothers. Since they are the guardians of hell, they are the first beings that the dead souls meet when they arrive in hell.