- 1. Which material was traditionally used to carve Chinese guardian lions?
A) Plastic
B) Marble
C) Gold
D) Glass
- 2. Why was the private use of guardian lions traditionally restricted to wealthy families?
A) Strict government laws
B) High cost and labor
C) They were considered dangerous
D) Lack of skilled artisans
- 3. What are modern, inexpensive guardian lions typically made of?
A) Bronze and iron
B) Marble and granite
C) Clay and mud
D) Concrete and resin
- 4. What do the male and female guardian lions represent together?
A) Wealth and poverty
B) Yin and yang
C) Heaven and earth
D) Sun and moon
- 5. What is the male guardian lion resting his right front paw on?
A) A pearl
B) A cub
C) An embroidered ball
D) An elephant
- 6. What does the cub under the female lion's paw represent?
A) The cycle of life
B) Wealth and prosperity
C) Protection of the temple
D) The sacred word om
- 7. In terms of guarding the building, what does the male lion protect?
A) The structure
B) The inhabitants
C) The entrance gate
D) The surrounding gardens
- 8. What do the open and closed mouths of the lions symbolize according to some traditions?
A) The cycle of day and night
B) Peace and war
C) The sacred word om
D) Truth and lies
- 9. According to Japanese adaptations, what does the male lion's inhaling represent?
A) Life
B) Wealth
C) Power
D) Death
- 10. What is special about the pearl carved into the mouths of some lions?
A) It is made of solid bronze
B) It can roll but not be removed
C) It is made of real gemstone
D) It glows in the dark
- 11. When looking at a building entrance from outside, where should the male lion be placed?
A) On the right
B) On the left
C) Behind the female
D) In the center
- 12. What is the South Asian equivalent to Feng Shui?
A) Mandala design
B) Samaragana Sutradhara
C) Yoga practice
D) Vastu Shastra
- 13. Which Indian state is mentioned as a place where temple guardian lions are found?
A) Kerala
B) Rajasthan
C) Punjab
D) Tamil Nadu
- 14. What are temple lions sometimes depicted standing on in South Asian traditions?
A) A tiger
B) A pile of gold
C) A crouching elephant
D) A lotus flower
- 15. How do Chinese lions differ from English lions in their representation?
A) They have no teeth
B) They are always painted
C) They reflect emotion rather than reality
D) They are much smaller
- 16. What do the claws, teeth, and eyes of a Chinese guardian lion represent?
A) Loyalty
B) Power
C) Wisdom
D) Speed
- 17. Why are English lions often considered different from Chinese lions?
A) They are always made of bronze
B) They are stylized representations
C) They represent the cycle of life
D) They are lifelike depictions
- 18. What are the four types of temple lions categorized by?
A) Feng Shui
B) Samaragana Sutradhara
C) Vastu Shastra
D) The embroidered ball
- 19. Which element does the female guardian lion protect?
A) The temple boundaries
B) Those dwelling inside
C) The sacred jewels
D) The external material structure
- 20. What is the name for the guardian lion with the head of an elephant?
A) Xiù qiú
B) Gajasimha
C) Yin
D) Om
- 21. What are guardian lions known as in Cambodia?
A) Chinthe
B) Sanye
C) Shisa
D) Singha or Sing
- 22. In Japan, what are lion figures known as when referred to as 'Korean dog'?
A) Sanye
B) Singha
C) Shishi
D) Komainu
- 23. Which term is used for guardian lions in Korea?
A) Sing
B) Sanye
C) Shishi
D) Chinthe
- 24. What is the name of the guardian lion in Myanmar and Laos?
A) Sư tử đá
B) Snow Lion
C) Chinthe
D) Shisa
- 25. What are guardian lions called in Okinawa?
A) Sanye
B) Sư tử đá
C) Shisa
D) Sing
- 26. What is the Tibetan name for the guardian lion?
A) Singha
B) Shishi
C) Snow Lion
D) Chinthe
- 27. What is the Vietnamese name for guardian lions?
A) Sanye
B) Shisa
C) Singha
D) Sư tử đá
- 28. In Thailand, what are guardian lions called?
A) Sanye
B) Chinthe
C) Singha
D) Komainu
- 29. Which of these is a common Western name for Chinese guardian lions?
A) Chinthe
B) Shisa
C) Foo Dogs
D) Sanye
- 30. What does the 'Fu' or 'Fo' in 'Foo Dogs' likely refer to in Chinese?
A) Buddha or prosperity
B) A royal title
C) A type of dog breed
D) A geographic location
- 31. Why might Western cultures refer to guardian lions as 'dogs'?
A) Because they are biologically dogs
B) Because of their size and fur
C) Because they were originally bred as dogs
D) Due to the Japanese term 'Korean dog'
- 32. Which dog breed's name translates to 'puffy-lion dog'?
A) Sanye
B) Pekingese
C) Chow Chow
D) Shisa
- 33. What does the Chinese term 'Shīzi Gǒu' translate to?
A) Puffy-lion dog
B) Lion dog
C) Prosperity dog
D) Buddha dog
- 34. In which country are guardian lions known as Sher or Singha?
A) Tibet
B) Japan
C) Vietnam
D) India
- 35. In which country are guardian lions known as Singha or Singham?
A) Sri Lanka
B) Cambodia
C) Thailand
D) Nepal
- 36. What is the Japanese term 'Komainu' translated as?
A) Korean dog
B) Lion dog
C) Puffy dog
D) Buddha dog
- 37. What is the pinyin for the character 'fó'?
A) Prosperity
B) Buddha
C) Dog
D) Lion
- 38. What is the primary material traditionally used for Chinese guardian lions?
A) Wood
B) Gold
C) Plastic
D) Stone
- 39. In which religion did the concept of Chinese guardian lions originate?
A) Shinto
B) Buddhism
C) Confucianism
D) Taoism
- 40. What does the ball under the male lion's paw represent?
A) The moon
B) Nurture
C) Imperial law
D) Material elements
- 41. What does the cub under the female lion represent?
A) Wealth
B) Spirit
C) The sun
D) Agriculture
- 42. What is the Chinese term 'shī' believed to be derived from?
A) Tibetan
B) Mongolian
C) Persian
D) Sanskrit
- 43. During which century were lions already popularly depicted as guardian figures in China?
A) Tenth century AD
B) First century AD
C) Sixth century AD
D) Twelfth century AD
- 44. In the imperial context, what does the male lion's ball represent?
A) Supremacy over the world
B) The sun
C) A toy
D) A harvest
- 45. Which of the following countries is mentioned as having adopted the tradition of guardian lions?
A) Canada
B) Brazil
C) Thailand
D) Egypt
- 46. What are guardian lions intended to protect buildings from?
A) Overpopulation
B) Harmful spiritual influences
C) Structural decay
D) Rain and wind
- 47. What is the female lion depicted doing in the pair?
A) Holding a ball
B) Dancing
C) Restraining a cub
D) Sleeping
- 48. Which species is believed to be the inspiration for Chinese guardian lions?
A) Asiatic lions
B) Barbary lions
C) African lions
D) Mountain lions
- 49. Which historical trade route facilitated the introduction of lions into China?
A) Maritime Silk Road
B) Steppe Route
C) Tea Horse Road
D) Silk Road
- 50. During which dynasty did the trade leading to the introduction of lions in China increase?
A) Han dynasty
B) Qing dynasty
C) Ming dynasty
D) Tang dynasty
- 51. Which group of people helped introduce lions into China from Central Asia?
A) Romans
B) Vikings
C) Egyptians
D) Sogdians
- 52. In 87 CE, a lion was offered as a tribute to the Han court by an envoy from which location?
A) India
B) Samarkand
C) Parthia
D) Persia
- 53. Besides a lion, what other animal was offered as tribute to the Han court in 87 CE?
A) Peacock
B) Ostrich
C) Tiger
D) Elephant
- 54. Which monk associated the mythic suan-ni with the lion?
A) Fa-Hsien
B) Huilin
C) Bodhidharma
D) Xuanzang
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