Question 1

True or false: Qi Baishi was born in 1864 and died in 1957.

Accepted Answer

True. Qi Baishi was born on January 1, 1864, and died on September 16, 1957, making him 93 years old at death.

Question 2

True or false: Qi Baishi is known for his highly detailed paintings of shrimp.

Accepted Answer

True. Qi Baishi became famous for his ink-wash paintings of shrimp, which he practiced for decades to perfect their translucent appearance.

Question 3

True or false: Qi Baishi painted only landscapes and never included animals in his work.

Accepted Answer

False. Qi Baishi was famous for painting animals, especially shrimp, crabs, fish, and birds, alongside his landscapes and flowers.

Question 4

True or false: Qi Baishi's paintings were all destroyed during the Cultural Revolution.

Accepted Answer

False. Qi Baishi died in 1957, before the Cultural Revolution began in 1966, and many of his works survive in museums and private collections.

Question 5

True or false: Qi Baishi served as a court painter to the last Qing emperor.

Accepted Answer

False. Qi Baishi never worked as a court painter; he was a self-taught artist who lived through the Qing collapse but never held an imperial position.

Question 6

True or false: Qi Baishi began his career as a woodcarver before becoming a painter.

Accepted Answer

True. Qi Baishi started as a carpenter and woodcarver, learning carving from a master before turning to painting later in life.

Question 7

True or false: Qi Baishi was awarded the title 'People's Artist' in 1953.

Accepted Answer

True. In 1953, the Chinese Ministry of Culture awarded Qi Baishi the title 'People's Artist' in recognition of his contributions to traditional art.

Question 8

True or false: Qi Baishi studied painting in France during the early 20th century.

Accepted Answer

False. Qi Baishi never left China; he was entirely self-taught and studied traditional Chinese painting without any Western training abroad.

Qi Baishi Trivia Questions