China: All about Shandong Province Quiz

Answer: Taihang Mountains

The Taihang Mountains run 250 miles (400 km) through Shandong's fellow Chinese provinces of Hubei, Henan and Shanxi. Similarly, the name "Shanxi" means "west of the mountains." Hubei holds the highest mountain of the Taihang, Mount Xiaowutai, which is around 9,455 feet (2,880 m) high.

Regarding borders of Shandong Province, the Bohai Sea lies to the north, Hubei Province lies to the north-west, Henan Province lies west, the Yellow Sea lies south-east and both Anhui Province and Jiangsu Province lie to the south.

The Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) were the first to use the name "Shandong" officially.

Answer: Daming Lake

Daming Lake has an average depth of around 10 feet (3 m) and is fed by the waters from the surrounding hot springs. The lake features nine islands, some of which feature historical buildings, which are also located around the shores of the lake. Baotu Spring is one of the most popular spots for tourists. Weeping willows are also a beautiful feature of the edge of the lake.

Answer: Mount Tai

Mount Tai's highest point, Tianzhu Peak, is around 5,070 feet (1,545 m) high. Mount Tai is considered as the eastern mountain, in regard to the Five Sacred Mountains of China (the others being Mount Song in Henan province, Mount Heng in Shanxi province, Mount Heng in Hunan province and Mount Hua in Shaanxi province).

Answer: Dezhou

In 1417, Sulu Sultan Paduka Pahala visited the Yongle Emperor. The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) had just established their power after driving the Mongols out of China. Paduka Pahala's visit was to establish good trading relations between China and the area that constitutes modern day Philippines. The Sultan contracted an unknown disease and died at Dezhou. The Yongle Emperor had a tomb established for him, and it still stands today.

Dezhou is located in the north-west of Shandong. The city is known for its Chinese dates and watermelons.

Answer: Qianfoshan

Qianfoshan Mountain, or the "Thousand Buddha Mountain," stands at 935 feet (285 m) high, and is famous for having around 130 depictions of Buddha carved into its rock, which have been present since as far back as the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD). Surrounding the area is Jian's largest park.

Xingguo Temple is located on the mountain. Here one can see Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism all exist in harmony together within the Lishan Courtyard. East of the Qianfoshan mountain lies Shandong Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery, for those of the Revolution of 1911.

Answer: Linyi

Wang Xizhi (who lived during the Jin Dynasty) is often cited as the greatest calligrapher of Chinese history. His house is situated on 20 Xiyanchi Street, Linyi, Shandong, where he was born and raised. He was known for his fondness for geese, with some legends stating that he learned to move his wrist so fluidly whilst writing his calligraphy, by watching the necks of the geese. His children followed in his footsteps, the most notable calligrapher among them being Wang Xianzhi, his youngest son. His former residence has beautiful gardens, and for a small price there is an opportunity to try creating Chinese calligraphy.

Linyi is situated in the south of Shandong. It is known for featuring a glass bridge, the Tianmeng Mountain Pedestrian Bridge, which is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world.

Answer: Weihai

Weihai (previously called "Weihaiwei", and "Port Edward" when the territory was leased to the British from 1898 until 1930) is a major port in the north- eastern part of Shangdong Province. At the mouth of Weihai Bay lies Liugong Island, where there is a memorial to the Beiyang Fleet, as well as a museum preserving and displaying the history of the Sino-Japanese war.

The Beiyang Fleet (roughly translating to the "Northern Ocean Fleet" in Chinese) was not only the largest navy in Asia leading up to the First Sino-Japanese War (1894), but it was the eighth largest in the entire world. Despite its impressiveness, this fleet was obliterated by the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Battle of the Yellow Sea, and several other battles. It was one of the four navies the Qing Dynasty produced.

Answer: Qufu

Qufu is situated in the south-west of Shandong, around 70 miles (110 km) from Jinan, and has strong cultural ties to Confucius with Qufu being his hometown. Confucius (551-479 BC) was a Chinese philosopher who has shaped many Chinese and Tibetan traditions and beliefs. Confucius taught the importance of family, the loyalty one must have to one's parents and ancestral respect and veneration.

Qufu was the capital of the small Lu independent state, which was prominent between the 4th-6th centuries BC.

Answer: Shengli

Shengli Oil Field (or "Victory Oil Field") is one of China's major sources of petroleum, and is located in the Yellow River Delta, near the Bohai Sea (a north-western arm of the Yellow Sea). It has been producing petroleum since 1966. In the early 1990s, the oil field was producing around 30 million tons of crude oil; this production however has since been in decline.

The field was discovered in 1961.

Answer: Yantai

Yantai (roughly translating to "Beacon Tower") is a port city on Shandong's north-east coastline, on the south shore of the Bohai Strait. It gets its name from the beacon that was built on a hill to look out for Japanese pirates in the 15th century. It is famous for being the place where the Chefoo Convention of 1876 was held, which opened more trade between China and Britain.

Established in 1892, Changyu Pioneer Wine Company was founded by Chinese politician and philanthropist and businessman, Cheong Fatt Tze (1840-1916), who was also known as Zhang Bishi, Tjong Tjen Hsoen, Thio Tiauw Siat and "the Rockefeller of China".

Answer: Chengziya

Longshan culture was discovered by Chinese archaeologist, Wu Jinding, in 1928 around 15 miles (25 km) to the east of Jinan, along the Wuyuan River. The Chengziya settlement was built around 2600 BC. There is the Chengziya Ruins Museum nearby which was built in 1994. Black pottery was discovered in Chengziya, different to the red pottery of other ancient Chinese cultures.

Answer: Heze

Heze is the westernmost prefecture-level city of Shandong. When it was called Caozhou, the area was in the middle of the Nian Rebellion (1851-1868) which took place across the north of China. Although this did not manage to oust the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), the financial hit put it on the path to its end.

Heze is known for One Hundred Lion Square, known for its over 100 stone carvings of lions in different positions and stances. The city is also known for its peony cultivation, holding a 20-day International Peony Flower Festival every April.

Answer: Qingzhou

The county level city of Qingzhou is situated in the west of Shandong's prefecture-level city of Weifang. The Yidu Zhenjiao Mosque has been standing in Qingzhou since 1302, and was founded by the Prime Minister of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Bo Yan.

At the summit of Tuoshan Mountain stands Haotian Temple. Around the mountain there are 638 stone buddhas chiseled into the side of the mountains during the Northern Zhou (577-581) to throughout the Tang Dynasty (613-907). The buddhas have been under protection by law since 1988 and are now protected by cages.

Answer: Michael

Located at the oldest part of Qingdao, St. Michael's Cathedral was constructed by 1934, and is of Gothic and Romanesque style, being the largest Gothic building in Qingdao. The church has a capacity for 1,000 people and was built by German Christian missionaries. There was a large German presence around Shandong around the 19th century. It stands in the old German-built section of the city, atop a hill.

The cathedral was ransacked and abandoned during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), but the the early 1980s the Chinese government had it renovated and reopened.

Answer: Nuts

Peanuts are Shandong's major cash crop, with cotton being a close second. The peanuts grown in Shandong are known for their large size, and are particularly good for being oil-pressed. Shandong is one of the world's top producers. The peanuts are grown around the uplands and south-central Shandong, whereas the cotton is mainly grown around the north and west. Tobacco and hemp are also grown in the province.