Chinese History Quiz: Questions and Answers

Who is credited with the first recorded visit from Europeans to China?

What dynasty was in power in China when the Ming Dynasty took over in 1368?

What were some of the advancements that the Chinese had before Europeans?

When did China become united as a single empire?

What structure was built by the rulers of the Chinese empire to protect against Mongol attacks?

Describe the system by which officials were chosen to serve the Ming emperors.

What was the significance of the capital city of the Ming empire, Beijing?

Explain the role of the emperor in the Ming dynasty and how he was perceived by the people.

What was the Forbidden City and who resided there?

Who were the mandarins in the Ming dynasty and how were they selected?

What characterized the Ming emperors' rule and how were their decrees implemented?

Ancient China

The first recorded Chinese dynasty dates back to 2000 BCE.
China was united as a single empire in 221 BCE.
The Great Wall of China was built to protect the country from Mongol attacks.

Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty came to power in 1368 and ruled for 300 years until 1644.
The first Ming emperor led a peasants' revolt that drove the Mongols out of China.
Under the Ming Dynasty, China became politically, economically, and culturally strong.
The Ming emperors were absolute rulers who governed through decrees carried out by officials.
Officials, called mandarins, were chosen through a competitive examination system.
The capital of the Ming empire was Beijing, which consisted of three cities built in a series of rings.

Beijing City Structure

The inner city was the Forbidden City, where the emperor and his family lived in luxury.
The Forbidden City featured beautiful palaces, gardens, and temples.
The emperor was worshiped as the "Son of Heaven" and was never seen by ordinary people.
Outside the Forbidden City was the walled Imperial City, where officials and guards lived.
The Imperial City was surrounded by the Commercial City, where merchants, craftsmen, and ordinary working people lived.

European Contact

The first recorded European visit to China was by Marco Polo in 1275.
Marco Polo spent nearly 20 years in China and visited the court of Kublai Khan, founder of the Yuan dynasty.
His account of his travels introduced Europeans to the greatness of the Chinese empire.
The Chinese had already invented printing, paper, and gunpowder centuries before Europeans did.
They also had advanced navigational instruments.

Explore the rich history of China from the first dynasty in 2000 BCE to the Ming Dynasty in 1368. Learn about the Great Wall, inventions like printing and gunpowder, and the advancements of Chinese society.