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Quiz about The Beauties in A Dream of Red Mansions
Quiz about The Beauties in A Dream of Red Mansions

The Beauties in "A Dream of Red Mansions" Quiz


"A Dream of Red Mansions" was, is and always will be the greatest Chinese novel. In Chapter 5, the author, Cao Xueqing, gave each of twelve beauties in Jingling a poem. In this quiz, I will give the poems and you choose who it is about.

A multiple-choice quiz by patrick8882. Estimated time: 5 mins.
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Author
patrick8882
Time
5 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
390,953
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
6 / 10
Plays
78
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. "You shall, in twenty years in life's hard school are done,
In pomegranate-time to palace halls ascend.
Though three springs never could with your first spring compare,
When hare meets tiger your great dream shall end."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. "Blessed with a shrewd mind and a noble heart,
Yet born in time of twilight and decay,
In spring through tears at river's bank you gaze,
Borne by the wind a thousand miles away."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. "What shall avail you rank and riches,
Orphaned while yet in swaddling bands you lay?
Soon you must mourn your bright son's early setting,
The Xiang flows and the Chu clouds sail away."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. "For all your would-be spotlessness
And vaunted otherworldliness,
You that look down on common flesh and blood,
Yourself impure, shall end up in the mud."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. "Paired with a brute like the wolf in the old fable,
Who on his saviour turned when he was able,
To cruelty not used, your gentle heart
Shall, in a twelvemonth only, break apart."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. "When you see through the spring scene's transient state,
A nun's black habit shall replace your own.
Alas, that daughter of so great a house
By Buddha's altar lamp should sleep alone!"

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. "This phoenix in a bad time came;
All praised her great ability.
'Two' makes my riddle with a man and three:
Returning south in tears she met calamity."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. "When power is lost, rank matters not a lot;
When families fall, kinship must be forgot.
Through a chance kindness to a country wife
Deliverance came for your afflicted life."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. "The plum-tree bore her fruit after rest,
Yet, when all's done, her Orchid was the best.
Against your ice-pure nature all in vain
The tongues of envy wagged; you felt no pain."

Who is this poem about?
Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. "Love was her sea, her sky; in such excess
Love, meeting with its like, breeds wantonness.
Say not our troubles all from Rong's side came;
For their beginning Ning must take the blame."

Who is this poem about?
Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. "You shall, in twenty years in life's hard school are done, In pomegranate-time to palace halls ascend. Though three springs never could with your first spring compare, When hare meets tiger your great dream shall end." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Jia Yuan-chun

Jia Yuan-chun is the oldest daughter of Jia Zhen. Later she becomes the concubine of the emperor and brings much glory to he family.
2. "Blessed with a shrewd mind and a noble heart, Yet born in time of twilight and decay, In spring through tears at river's bank you gaze, Borne by the wind a thousand miles away." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Jia Tan-chun

Jia Tan-chun is born to Jia Zhen and his concubine. She is shrewd and capable. Later she marries Zhou, a member of a faraway family in Hainan.
3. "What shall avail you rank and riches, Orphaned while yet in swaddling bands you lay? Soon you must mourn your bright son's early setting, The Xiang flows and the Chu clouds sail away." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Shi Xiang-yun

Shi Xiang-yun is a romantic and lovely girl. Though born to a noble family, she is orphaned during childhood and doesn't live a good life.
4. "For all your would-be spotlessness And vaunted otherworldliness, You that look down on common flesh and blood, Yourself impure, shall end up in the mud." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Miao-yu

Miao-yu used to be the daughter of an official family. Later she becomes a lay Buddhist, with uncut hair.
5. "Paired with a brute like the wolf in the old fable, Who on his saviour turned when he was able, To cruelty not used, your gentle heart Shall, in a twelvemonth only, break apart." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Jia Ying-chun

Jia Ying-chun is modest and not much involved in worldly affairs. Later she marries Sun Shao-zu just because her father owes the family of Sun 5,000 ounces of gold. She is abused by her husband and dies one year after marriage.
6. "When you see through the spring scene's transient state, A nun's black habit shall replace your own. Alas, that daughter of so great a house By Buddha's altar lamp should sleep alone!" Who is this poem about?

Answer: Jia Xi-chun

It seems Jia Xi-chun loses her mother during childhood. And her father doesn't take care of her because of his obsession with elixir-making. In the end she cuts her hair and becomes a nun.
7. "This phoenix in a bad time came; All praised her great ability. 'Two' makes my riddle with a man and three: Returning south in tears she met calamity." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Wang Xi-feng

Wang Xi-feng is the wife of Jia Lian, and may be one of the most powerful people in Jia family. She is energetic and capable. She manages the Jia family in her own way. In the end she is divorced by her husband and escorted to Jingling after the downfall of Jia family.
8. "When power is lost, rank matters not a lot; When families fall, kinship must be forgot. Through a chance kindness to a country wife Deliverance came for your afflicted life." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Jia Qiao-jie

Among the twelve beauties of Jingling, Qiao-jie is the youngest. She is the daughter of Jia Lian and Wang Xi-feng. She is weak and sickly. After the downfall of Jia family, her father marries her to a peasant boy.
9. "The plum-tree bore her fruit after rest, Yet, when all's done, her Orchid was the best. Against your ice-pure nature all in vain The tongues of envy wagged; you felt no pain." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Li Wan

Lia Wan is the wife of the oldest Jia grandson. But her husband dies young, leaving her with only one son. During widowhood, she is without hope, like "wood and ash". But after joining the Daguan Gardens, she becomes vigorous and youthful again.
10. "Love was her sea, her sky; in such excess Love, meeting with its like, breeds wantonness. Say not our troubles all from Rong's side came; For their beginning Ning must take the blame." Who is this poem about?

Answer: Qin Ke-qing

Qin Ke-qing comes from the world of immortals. In the human world she is an orphan and later marries Jia Rong. She is the first to die among the twelve beauties.
Source: Author patrick8882

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