Chinese Medicine Trivia Quiz

Answer: True

Put very simply, Qi is the vital energy force which flows around the body. Needles are inserted at different points on the 12 meridians, or paths, which it follows. Acupuncture is used to treat a wide range of conditions, and can be successful in treating problems, like migraines, which Western medicine provides little help for. It is particularly effective as pain relief.

Answer: 2000 years old

The first description of acupuncture is in "The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine" ("Huang Di Nei Jing") which was once believed to date back 4,700 years, but is now thought to have been written about 2,100 years ago.

Answer: False

Foods can be "hot", "cold", "wet", "dry", and so on. A sore throat is often a symptom of too much internal heat, so you should avoid hot foods, such as fried or barbequed foods, spicy foods, dog (not a great sacrifice for most people), crab, and lamb.

Answer: Lychees

Many fruits and vegetables are "cold". Any one type of food eaten in excess is said to cause problems; the goal is to maintain a balance.

Answer: Hot coca-cola and ginger

Slices of root ginger are boiled in coke. It does seem to help - try it! Ginseng tea is a strengthening tonic - it's good for your qi. Orange juice with its vitamin C might seem like a good idea, but Chinese folk wisdom says you should avoid cold drinks when you have a cold.

The mango juice, coconut milk and snow frog oil option, though delicious and popular in Hong Kong, is not particularly medicinal although snow frog oil is supposed to be good for the skin.

Answer: Toothache

Snake meat is supposed to be good for arthritis. Snake bile, usually drunk in rice wine, is good for the liver and the eyes. Some people drink snake blood, also in rice wine, for virility. If you have toothache, it might be because you have too much internal heat and should eat "cooling" foods.

Answer: Fish and papaya soup

Fish soup without the papaya is good too. Black chicken soup is a general tonic for women. Liver and spinach soup is good for your blood - all that iron. Pig's brain soup is not particularly medicinal.

Answer: False

Turtle is supposed to be good for skin problems, as well as cleansing the blood. If your skin is itchy, you shouldn't eat a lot of shrimps, mango, or pineapple.

Answer: Taoism

Confucianism, based on the ideas of Confucius (Kong Fuzi, approx. 551-479 BC) is a philosophy rather than a religion, although there are a few Confucian temples. Islam is the religion of 10 of China's ethnic minorities, with a total of 18 million Muslims. Buddhism probably came to China in the first century AD, and there are now some 13,000 Buddhist temples. Taoism (or Daoism) is based on "The Classic of the Way and Virtue" ("Dao De Jing") of Laozi (born c604 BC).

Although officially atheist, China's constitution promises freedom of religion.

Answer: True

If you have any health problems, Chinese doctors generally advise avoiding sour foods, spicy foods, and alcohol. Sour foods are particularly bad for broken bones as they apparently slow their growth.

Answer: Vinegar

Vinegar is boiled and the fumes inhaled to protect against infection or to cure cold symptoms. During an outbreak of pneumonia in February 2003, vinegar sold out in Guangzhou and nearby towns in less than a day and went up to 100 HK$ (approx 12 US$)a bottle in Hong Kong.

Answer: Qigong

Moxibustion is the application of heat from burning herbs at acupuncture points, and is often used in conjunction with acupuncture. Cupping applies suction to acupuncture points, and acupressure, as the name suggests, applies pressure. Qigong is rather difficult to explain (and even more difficult to do!) but basically it is a method of moving qi around the body with physical exercises and mental discipline.

Answer: All of these

There are some 28 different descriptions of the pulse. Examination of the pulse is an important method of diagnosis in TCM.

Answer: Wild Manchurian ginseng

Ginseng is used to replenish qi. American ginseng is "cold" and is good for fevers. Panax ginseng has a stronger effect on qi and is a calming remedy for anxiety, insomnia, etc. Korean red ginseng has the strongest effect on qi. Wild Manchurian ginseng is now very rare and incredibly expensive, selling for thousands of US dollars a pound.

It was once believed that it could prolong life for three days, however close to death the patient was.

Answer: glass bulbs and heat

A flame is held under the bulb to create a vacuum and the bulb is then placed on the skin. Cupping can be used as an alternative to acupuncture. It also creates impressive bruises!


Please note that this quiz is presented as cultural info not medical fact. If you would like to try any form of Chinese medicine, it is important to see a licensed practitioner.