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Quiz about Eastern Literature
Quiz about Eastern Literature

Eastern Literature Trivia Quiz


This quiz has questions about Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and Indian Literature.

A multiple-choice quiz by CzarManx. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
CzarManx
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
131,383
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
12 / 20
Plays
600
- -
Question 1 of 20
1. Which Indian poet, famous for his "Gitanjali", was awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. This poet's last name means "Tentmaker." Who was this famous Persian poet, famous for the "Rubáiyát"? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. This book tells of a prince and his friend's grandson Kaoru. What is this "first novel" that told of Japanese life in the Heian period, written by Lady Shikibu Murasaki? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. What 17th century Japanese poet was master of the haiku? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. What Chinese philosopher, born in the Lu province, is famous for his work, The Analects? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. What Japanese author, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize for literature, wrote the book "The Catch"?

Answer: (Two Letters- last name only)
Question 7 of 20
7. What was 1988 Nobel Prize winner from Egypt Naguib Mahfouz's most famous work, written in 1952, known as "al-Thulyathiyya" in Arabic? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. What ancient Sanskrit epic tells of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu, who must save his love Sita who was carried off by the demon king Ravana?

Answer: (One Word)
Question 9 of 20
9. The 2000 Nobel Prize winner in literature was from what eastern country? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. What British novelist of Indian descent had his work "The Satanic Verses" banned in all Islamic countries? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. Perhaps the greatest Chinese poet, who wrote about a bloody rebellion in China in 755 AD? He is one of the great T'ang Dynasty poets. Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. "The Thousand and One Nights", or "Arabian Nights", is a famous Arabian collection of stories including Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin, and Ali Baba. Who was the queen that told these stories to her wife-murdering husband? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. The Rig-, the Atharva-, the Yajur-, and the Sama- are all what types of sacred Hindu texts?

Answer: (One Word)
Question 14 of 20
14. What Japanese plays are acted out by puppets? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. Ziye, a Chinese woman poet, wrote about what young girl who took her father's place on the battlefield?

Answer: (One Word- it's really not hard...)
Question 16 of 20
16. What very early Japanese work, written with Chinese characters, is known in English as "Record of Ancient Matters" (712)? Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. This Indian court poet and dramatist wrote three important plays: "Shakuntala", "Vikramorvasi", and "Malavikagnimitra". Who was he? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. What is the prayer book of Zoroastrianism, the Persian religion? Hint


Question 19 of 20
19. What Persian poet, whose name means "one who has memorized the Koran", has works published under the title "Divan"? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. What Lebanese-American writer is leader of the school of Arab American writers known as The Bond of the Pen? He wrote "Nymphs of the Valley" and "The Prophet". Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 08 2024 : mungojerry: 13/20
Feb 12 2024 : PurpleComet: 16/20

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which Indian poet, famous for his "Gitanjali", was awarded the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature?

Answer: Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore wrote mostly in the language Bengali. He sought to better understand the differences between Eastern and Western religions.
2. This poet's last name means "Tentmaker." Who was this famous Persian poet, famous for the "Rubáiyát"?

Answer: Omar Khayyam

The "Rubáiyát" was translated by Edward FitzGerald in 1859. It contained about 1000 specialized quatrains.
3. This book tells of a prince and his friend's grandson Kaoru. What is this "first novel" that told of Japanese life in the Heian period, written by Lady Shikibu Murasaki?

Answer: The Tale of Genji

The novel is set during the reign of Empress Akiko, whom Murasaki attended.
4. What 17th century Japanese poet was master of the haiku?

Answer: Basho

Basho is the pseudonym for Matsuo Munefusa.
5. What Chinese philosopher, born in the Lu province, is famous for his work, The Analects?

Answer: Confucius

Confucius first had success as the minister of crime in Lu.
6. What Japanese author, winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize for literature, wrote the book "The Catch"?

Answer: Oe

Oe's "The Catch" won Japan's prestigious Akutagawa Prize in 1958.
7. What was 1988 Nobel Prize winner from Egypt Naguib Mahfouz's most famous work, written in 1952, known as "al-Thulyathiyya" in Arabic?

Answer: The Cairo Trilogy

"The Cairo Trilogy" told of Egyptian life in the latter half of the 20th century.
8. What ancient Sanskrit epic tells of Rama, the seventh incarnation of the god Vishnu, who must save his love Sita who was carried off by the demon king Ravana?

Answer: Ramayana

"Ramayana" is one of the two great Indian epics. The other is "Mahabharata".
9. The 2000 Nobel Prize winner in literature was from what eastern country?

Answer: China

His name is Gao Xingjian.
10. What British novelist of Indian descent had his work "The Satanic Verses" banned in all Islamic countries?

Answer: Salman Rushdie

"The Satanic Verses" attacked the Koran, Muhammad, and the Islamic faith.
11. Perhaps the greatest Chinese poet, who wrote about a bloody rebellion in China in 755 AD? He is one of the great T'ang Dynasty poets.

Answer: Du Fu

Du Fu faced financial hardship after the fall of the T'ang Dynasty. He was influenced by the Taoism movement.
12. "The Thousand and One Nights", or "Arabian Nights", is a famous Arabian collection of stories including Sinbad the Sailor, Aladdin, and Ali Baba. Who was the queen that told these stories to her wife-murdering husband?

Answer: Scheherazade

In the story, sultan Schahriar found his first wife was adulterous, and in his rage sought to marry a new woman each night and kill her in the morning.
13. The Rig-, the Atharva-, the Yajur-, and the Sama- are all what types of sacred Hindu texts?

Answer: Veda

They are also known as "Samhitas" or "collection."
14. What Japanese plays are acted out by puppets?

Answer: Bunraku

Bunraku consists of three elements- puppets, chanters, and the playing of the shamisen, a three-stringed instrument.
15. Ziye, a Chinese woman poet, wrote about what young girl who took her father's place on the battlefield?

Answer: Mulan

It is the same Mulan that the Disney movie was based on.
16. What very early Japanese work, written with Chinese characters, is known in English as "Record of Ancient Matters" (712)?

Answer: Kojiki

This was the first example of Japanese literature.
17. This Indian court poet and dramatist wrote three important plays: "Shakuntala", "Vikramorvasi", and "Malavikagnimitra". Who was he?

Answer: Kalidasa

Kalidasa also wrote two epics, "Raghuvamsa" and "Kumarasambhava". He influenced von Schiller and Goethe.
18. What is the prayer book of Zoroastrianism, the Persian religion?

Answer: Zend-Avesta

The Avesta tells of the Lord Wisdom, Ahura-Mazda, who was opposed to the evil Ahriman.
19. What Persian poet, whose name means "one who has memorized the Koran", has works published under the title "Divan"?

Answer: Hafiz

Hafiz was a member of the Islamic mysticism order known as Sufism.
20. What Lebanese-American writer is leader of the school of Arab American writers known as The Bond of the Pen? He wrote "Nymphs of the Valley" and "The Prophet".

Answer: Khalil Gibran

Gibran was actually born in Syria, however.
Source: Author CzarManx

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