question answer chapter

Who is the author of When the Sea Turned

to Silver? Grace Lin cover

What animal arrived when it was winter? The Black Tortoise of Winter 1

What did villagers request Amah do when Embroider peonies or 5-colored clouds
they climbed up the mountain? on silks for weddings and birthdays. 1

Why did people stay with Amah after she

finished embroidering? For her stories. 1

What story had an immortal dragon picking up

a white stone? The Dragon’s Pearl 1

What story is about no one being able to lift

the moon? The Boy Who Rolled the Moon 1

What did a new emperor wear? A gold silk robe. 1

What did people call the new emperor? The Tiger Emporor 1

What was a new emperor supposed to do? Pay tribute tothe mountain. 1

Who was Pinmei’s friend whose hut was

farther up the mountain? Hishan 1

What decided if a new emperor was worthy? The Spirit of the Mountain 1

He was humiliated because he was not

Why did the new emperor punish the people in able to get up to the top of the
The Villages? mountain. 1

The emperor's Soldiers came late at

night and took them away to the Vast
What happened to the men in The Villages? Wall. 1

What did the new emperor want more than The Luminous stone that lights the
anything? night 1

When was Pinmei usually supposed to feel the

bottom of the container of rice? When the tree tips were green. 2

What special Bowl was only for special The blue rice bowl with the white
occasions? rabbit painted on it. 2
Where did Amah’s grandfather get the blue The king of the city of bright
Rice Bowl? Moonlight gave it to him. 2

What could you see from Yishan’s house? The sea. 2

What was another name for the mountain

spirit? The old man of the Moon. 2

Who did Yishan live with in the hut before he

lived alone? His Aunt Meiya until she died. 2

The little brother of the black

Who held up the sky? tortoise. 2

She had a tail like a fish instead of

What was the goddess Nuwa like? legs. 2

What happened when the four pillars of the The Starry River crashdown flooding
sky collapsed. the entire Earth. 2

What did the goddess, Nuwa, do to the Cut its legs off and use them to
turtle? replace the four pillars of the sky. 2

Who was Nuwa’s husband? Fuxi 2

What did Nuwa shove into the holes in the

sky? Stones of five colors 2

What happened when Nuway filled the hole in

the sky with her body? She turned to stone. 2

What was Fuxi left with in his hand when A single strand of her hair with a tiny
Nuwa left him? drop of blood falling from it. 2

The Younger brother of the black

Who was the turtle that Nuwa killed? tortoise of winter. 2

The black tortoise brought winter but what

brought spring? A dragon. 2

What did it mean when people saw a rainbow You were seeing Nuwa and the colored
in the sky? Stone she put there. 2

What did Amah mean when she told Pinmei to A giant clay container that once held
get in the old gang? wine. 3

Why had Amah once taken Pinmei to the

village? To see traveling entertainers. 5

Why did the soldier think Amah gave up too

easily when they took her away? That she was trying to hide something. 5
What came out of the small bamboo container
when the soldier kicked it? needles. 5

What did Pinmei see sticking out of the king’s

imperial gold silk robe? A silver pin 5

What did the emperor take from Amah’s hut, The blue rice bowl with the white
saying it was his? rabbit painted on it. 5

What did the soldiers do before they left

Amah’s hut? They burned it. 6

What was Pinmei’s hut made of? Mountain stone. 7

What did the city of bright Moonlight used to

be called a long time ago? City of Far remote 8

What did the Jade River constantly do? It flooded. 8

What did the old man tell the key to ask for a The paper inside the mouth of his
wedding gift from his father? tiger statue. 8

When did words appear on the Paper of

Answers? In bright moonlight. 8

What did the Paper of Answers say about You are a leader only to those who
being a leader? choose to follow. 8

Dig ditches and outlets for the river

What did a king order men to do to control and make it into an irrigation for
the Jade River instead of building a wall? Farmland.. 8

To find the Dragon's Pearl which

Why did Pinmei and Yishan decide To go to might be the Luminous stone that likes
the city of bright moonlight? the night. 8

When did Amah tell Pinmei she would do When it was time for her to do
something? something. 8

What did Pinmei find inside the burned box A quilted jacket made of hundreds of
inside her burned hut? different colored patches. 8

What fell from the sleeve of the Quilted

Patchwork jacket Pinmei found in a box in her
hut? A jade bracelet. 8
Where had the Black Tortoise been floating
before he was drug down into the water? In the Lake of Heavens 10

What was the only thing the Black Tortoise

could see when he was drug under water? The color gold. 10

What did a soldier do for Amah? Gave her half of his own food. 11

What was the last story Auntie Meiya wanted

to hear before she died? The Story of the Ginseng Boy 11

What did the Ginseng Boy wear? A red hat 11

What did the man and woman have to wait for

to catch the Ginseng Boy? The night of the red moon. 11

What did the old man tie to a branch to catch A red threat from the sleeve of the
the Ginseng Boy? Ginseng Boy’s shirt. 11

What did the old man and woman find buried A root shaped like a child --the
at the end of the red thread? Ginseng Boy 11

When was the Ginseng Boy completely On the night of the red moon he
helpless? turned into a root. 11

Why did the old man and woman want to eat

the Ginseng Boy? It would make them young again. 11

What would happen if one person ate the

entire Ginseng Boy root? They would live forever. 11

What happened to the Ginseng Boy at the end He ran away with the niece of the old
of the story? man and woman. 11

Why did Auntie Meiya say the little girl in the

Ginseng Boy story did her aunt and uncle a They would have been miserable
favor? immortals. 11

Who was the angry soldier whose eyes Amah

recognized? The emperor 11

Who invited Pinmei and Yishan inside to stay

the night with them their first night
traveling? Old Sai 12

What was the name of Old Sai’s wife? Suya 12

Who was the man in the village who tried to
chop the soldier with an ax but it bounced off
the soldier’s green sleeve? Feng Fu 12

What did Old Sai always say when something

bad happened? This may become a blessing. 12

What did Old Sai always say when something

good happened? This may become a disaster. 12

How did Sifen, the son of Old Sai and Suya, Both his legs were broken from being
avoid being taken by the emperor’s soldiers? thrown by a stallion. 12

What did Pinmei wish she could give to Suya

and Old Sai? The magic red stone. 13

What was the name of the boy who found the

red stone while collecting wood? Ku-Ang 13

It doubled the amount of anything it

What magic did the red stone do? was with (rice, dumplings, etc.) 13

Why did Ku-Ang’s father tell him he had to

take the red stone back to where he found
it? It didn’t belong to them. 13

What did the old man tell Ku-Ang the red

stone was? The drop of blood from Nuwa 13

What did the old man tell Ku-Ang the red

stone could do for a person who was pure of
heart? Bring the Sea King to calm the waters. 13

Where did the red stone have to be brought To the top of the mountain north of
safety in order to find the Sea King? the village. 13

Why didn’t anyone ever go to the Northern

Mountain? There were evil beasts there. 13

What jumped out of the water at Ku-Ang

when he crossed the abandoned Black Bridge? A big snake 13

Who was Haiyi? The wicked bully of the village. 13

What did the snake tell Ku-Ang he wanted in
exchange for letting him cross the Black The ears of horrible Heiyi’s old
Bridge? mother. 13

He landed on the other side of the

Why was it good when the snake threw Ku- lake, so he didn’t have to cross the
Ang? bridge. 13

What did the big bird with green poisonous

feathers say it wanted in exchange for letting
Ku-Ang pass and go up the Northern The bones of horrible Haiyi’s younger
Mountain? brother. 13

Why was it good when the big poisonous green

feathered bird threw Ku-Ang? He landed on the Northern Mountain. 13

Who did Ku-Ang find at the top of the

Northern Mountain? Horrible Heiyi. 13

What did Ku-Ang do with the red stone to

keep it away from horrible Heiyi? He swallowed it. 13

What happened to Ku-Ang when he swallowed

the red stone? He turned into a dragon. 13

What are longma? Dragon horses 13

Who was the Sea King? Ku-Ang 13

Why did Pinmei know the red stone wasn’t the

stone the emperor wanted? It never glowed. 13

What did the Tiger king want the stonecutter

to do with the giant white stone? Sculpt a statue of himself on a horse. 14

Why did the stonecutter smash the man off He and his daughter thought the man
the horse of the statue he made? was so ugly, it ruined the statue. 14

What story was similar to the stonecutter’s

who was imprisoned with Amah? The Story of the Stone Fish 14

What did people call the magistrate because

of his ruthlessness and greed? Magistrate Tiger 14
What did the Magistrate Tiger want carved
from the white stone? A dragon for his formal chamber 14

Why didn’t the stonecutter want to carve a Only the imperial family was allowed to
dragon for the Tiger Magistrate? use an image of a dragon. 14

What did the stone tell the stonecutter it

wanted to be instead of a dragon? A fish 14

How many days did it take for the

stonecutter to carve a stone fish? 99 days 14

What happened when the stonecutters son

cried and his tears fell on the stone fish? It became a live fish. 14

What did the fish that used to be a stone

carving do for people when they saw it? It made them happy. 14

The tiger magistrate had already

Why couldn't stonecutter fix the broken ordered the stonecutter put to death
stone fish or the Tiger Magistrate? for not making a dragon statue. 14

The stonecutter in the story was his

How did the stonemaker imprisoned with own relative and passed down his skills
Amah know the story of the Stone Fish? as a stonemaker to him. 14

What did Pinmei think the falling snow looked

like? White butterflies. 15

What impossible thing did Pinmei see mixed in

with all the white snowflakes falling? A red butterfly. 15

What was the name of the white horse the

beautiful woman had been riding through the
snow? BaiMa 16

A mansion surrounded by a garden,

What was the beautiful picture embroidered fishponds, and pavilions with red
into the beautiful fabric the woman had in a pillars, a river by a stone wall,
bag? mountains, and clouds. 16

What happened when the widow embroidered

flowers? Bees would try to get in it. 16
What did the widow want to do with the
painting she spent all her money on? Live inside it. 16

What personal things did the widow weave

into her embroidery of the estate she wanted Her white hair (clouds), her blood (red
to live in? peonies), and her tears (lotus ponds) 16

What happened to the widow’s embroidery

when she finally finished it after 8 years? It blew out the door. 16

Why did the Sea King’s daughter take the She and her ladies in waiting were
widow’s embroidery? copying it for their own embroidery. 16

What would happen to the widow’s son if he

made a sound while swimming in the frozen He would turn into ice and shatter into
water? 10,000 pieces. 16

What did the widow’s son ride to the Sea

King’s house? A white horse made of white stone. 16

What did the Sea King’s daughter embroider An image of herself but with legs
into the garden of the widow’s embroidery? instead of a fish tail. 16

What happened to the widow’s embroidery It grew and came to life, including the
after her son brought it back from the Sea Sea King’s daughter holding a silver
King’s house? needle. 16

Who did the Sea King’s daughter marry? The widow’s son. 16

Where did the red butterfly land in front of On the noblewoman’s lap on top of the
Pinmei and Yishan? embroidery/ 16

What did the noblewoman say when the red

butterfly landed on her embroidery? “He is dead”. 16

Who was the noble woman who rode BaiMa? Lady Meng 17

To find out what happened to her

Why was Lady Meng going to the City of husband after he left on the king’s
Bright Moonlight? business a year before. 17

What did Lady Meng sew to protect her

husband? A dragon shirt, leaving her needle in it. 17
When did Lady Meng’s husband tell her he
would return? With the flight of the first butterfly. 17

What was the name of the king who had the King KaeJae - the King of the City of
dragon’s pearl? Bright Moonlight. 17

Because new emperors usually

Why did King KaeJae want advice from Lady executed all the old kings and replaced
Meng’s husband? them. 17

What did Lady Meng pull out of the Jade

River with her gold chopsticks to show them
the way to the City of Bright Moonlight? A mussel 18

What did the mussel Lady Meng threw into

the sky turn into? A swallow 18

What did Amah tell the stonecutter happened

each time a story was told? It changed. 19

Where had Amah, the storyteller, been

invited to live? In the Imperial Palace 19

What was the name of the mountain Pinmei,

Yishan, and Amah lived on? The Never-Ending Mountain 19

Why did the dragon have to leave behind his

friend, the girl? To help Blue Dragon bring in spring. 19

There would be a day when she

experienced her greatest joy and
What did the dragon see in the girl’s future in greatest sadness of her life at the
the Book of Fortune? same time. 19

What did the dragon tell the girl to do when Look at the stone lions in the city and,
she experienced her greatest joy and when their eyes turned red, take a
greatest sadness of her life at the same boat to the closest island to find the
time? Iron Rod. 19

Why was the Iron Rod at Sea Bottom? To keep the waters steady 19

Hold on to it and don’t let go until the

destruction of the city is over, and
What did the dragon tell the girl to do with afterwards, throw it back into the
the Iron Rod when she found it? sea. 19
 According to what was needed...The
Sea King’s daughter used it as a
How did the Iron Rod change? needle. 19

What was the day when the girl who had a

dragon for a friend experienced her greatest
joy and greatest sadness of her life at the Her daughter had a baby, but died in
same time? childbirth. 19

A mean man painted them red to tease

How did the lions eyes turn red in the city? the old woman. 19

Why did the old woman go to a mountain she To raise her granddaughter and keep
had visited in her youth? her away from harm. 19

Who was the old woman who held onto the

Iron Rod? Amah. 19

How were the palace grounds of the City of

Bright Moonlight divided? Inner City and Outer City 21

What did Yishan say rulers loved? walls. 21

What was the emperor’s emblem? A snarling tiger 21

What did Lady Meng hear when she went to

see King KaeJae? The queen (his wife) crying. 22

What was Lady Meng’s husband’s name? Wan 22

He wasn’t killed. The Tiger King ripped

What did King KaeJae tell Lady Meng about his shirt, and then the Tiger King
her husband, Wan? became invincible. 22

What was the name of the servant girl who

helped Lady Meng, Pinmei and Yishan hide
from the emperor? Yanna 22

Where did Yanna hide Lady Meng, Pinmei and

Yishan? In the Hall of Distant Clouds 23

Why did King KaeJae tell Yanna to take his

visitors through the Long Walkway to the Hall The emperor would be taking the
of Distant Clouds? other path. 23
What did Yanna warn Pinmei and Yishan never Go on the western side of the Long
to do while the emperor was there? Walkway. 23

What did the emperor say he would do to

anyone if they were found on the western
side of the Long Walkway while he was there? Kill them and their family. 23

What were the beams and ceilings of King

KaeJae’s palace corridors painted with? Scenes from different stories. 24

What story character had a bag of red

threads? The Old Man of the Moon 24

What story character held up the moon? The Spirit of the Mountain 24

A new painting appeared right before

What did people say about the paintings in a story of greatness is about to be
the Long Walkway? told. 24

Who painted the pictures in King KaeJae’s

corridors? Master painter Chen 24

What did master painter Chen paint that

came to life? A dragon 24

What story did Pinmei tell to Yanna in the The Story of How a Girl Brought Joy
corridor when she saw a painting of it? to the Heart of a King 24

Where did the girl say she found her

beautiful fish? In a rubbish pile outside a rich home. 24

What did the girl say she would do with her Give it to the king to bring joy to his
beautiful fish? heart. 24

What did the king do with the beautiful fish Set it free in the lake so it would
the girl gave him? bring joy to all the villagers. 24

What was the first king of the City of Bright The greatest ruler in the city’s
Moonlight known as? history. 24

Where did Yanna work before she became

head of the king’s servants? She worked in the kitchen. 25

Why couldn’t King KaeJae trust his guards? They were all spies for the emperor. 25
Why didn’t the emperor kill King KaeJae like He needed him one night a month when
he did all the other kings? the moon was full. 25

Why did Yanna say it was like King KaeJae He couldn’t leave, and no one was ever
was in prison? allowed to visit him. 25

What did Pinmei’s braid always remind her of? A long mouse tail. 26

She could make time disappear and

bring people to places they never
Why did people honor the Storyteller dreamed of, feel sorrow, joy, and
(Amah)? peace. 27

Which emperor was called Son of the

Heavens? Emperor Zu 27

Which story told of Emperor Zu, Son of the

Heavens The Story of the Stolen Bite of Peach 27

What did the Queen Mother bring to Zu for A peach that granted 999 more years
his 60th birthday? of life. 27

A magistrate who was related to the

Who bit the emperor’s peach of longevity? emperor by marriage. 27

How was Emperor Zu, Son of the Heavens,

killed? Soldiers of Emperor Shang killed him. 27

Where did Pinmei and Yishan try to sneak into

in order to find Amah? The commander’s tent 27

Why was Yanna looking around the soldier’s

camp in the City of Bright Moonlight? She was looking for King KaeJae’s son. 29

What constellation did Yishan see when he

saw a shooting star? Beacon Fire 31

What could King KaeJae do that the emperor

could not? Read the Paper of Answers 33

What did the emperor tell King KaeJae to ask

the Paper of Answers? If he would achieve immortality. 33

How many times could the Paper of Answers One question by the light of a full
answer? moon. 33
What did the pavilion where King KaeJae and
the emperor talked used to be used for? The king’s painting studio 35

What did the emperor have done with the

men who died building the Vast Wall? Buried their bodies under the wall. 35

What story told how the first king of the

City of Bright Moonlight became a tiger? The Story of the Green Tiger 36

They had to plant the seed and care

What did the emperor tell the kings he gave a for the plant and bring it back to him
seed to? at the Moon Festival. 36

Why did the father of the young King of the

City of Bright Moonlight have a rare His son’s seed from the emperor never
moonflower grown for his son? sprouted. 36

What kind of flower did the King of the City

of Winding River grow? Red peony 36

What did the king of the City of Far Clouds An orchid with fragrance like sweet
grow? apple. 36

Why did the young king of the City of Bright

Moonlight insist on bringing an empty pot to
the emperor? He couldn’t lie. 36

What did the paper say that the young King

of the City of Bright Moonlight read could not
be hidden for long? The sun, the moon, and the truth. 36

What did the Paper of Answers do to the

father of the first king of the City of Bright Covered his face and turned him into a
Moonlight? tiger. 36

Who did the first king of the City of Bright

Moonlight exile? His father in the form of a tiger. 36

What was the dying wish of the first king of To have his father resurrected as
the City of Bright Moonlight? human after his 5th year of the Tiger. 36
Why did the old man with the Paper of
Answers say he might regret turning the He didn’t seem to learn from his past
tiger back into a man? mistakes. 36

How did King KaeJae get the Paper of The paper floated in the air and
Answers? landed in his father’s lap. 36

What did King KaeJae’s father think when he That he was really a butterfly
woke up after dreaming he was a butterfly? dreaming he was a man. 36

Why did the emperor make everyone bow to

the king who presented him with an empty He was brave and virtuou and told the
pot? truth, and didn’t blame anyone else. 36

Why could NO ONE have grown a plant from

the seeds the emperor gave the kings? He boiled all the seeds. 36

What was stuck into the mussel that fell

from the sky at Yishan’s feet? An arrow 36

How did King KaeJae help Lady Meng, Yishan, He pushed on the stones of a wall and
and Pinmei escape his city? sent them through a secret passage. 37

What did King KaeJae give to Pinmei before

sending them from his city? The Paper of Answers 37

For reminding him that there were

Why did King KaeJae thank Pinmei? worse things than death. 37

What did the woman in the House of Wu look Her face was scarred like the outside
like? of an oysster shell. 40

What design was on the bowl of porridge the

lady in the House of Wu offered to Lady
Meng, Pinmei, and Yishan? A painted monkey 40

What kind of scars did the lady in the House

of Wu have on her face? Scars of Stingy Rice 40

How many Year of the Monkeys had the rich

lord seen when he decided to throw a
banquet? Five times 40

What did the rich lord want to do with the

blue silk? Line the road to his house. 40
What did the rich lord tell his servants to use
to fill the gaps in the road? Uncooked rice. 40

What happened every time the rich lord’s The rich lord was the one who felt
servants beat the old man who ate some rice? each blow. 40

The old man blew the rice out of the

How did the lord and his servants get the holes in the road and they stung their
scars on their faces? faces and melted into their skin. 40

What did the scarred woman in the House of

Wu say her mistress loved? Jade and silk the color of jade 40

She wanted to make amends for

Why did the scarred woman in the House of beating the beggar and act like a
Wu help Pinmei and Yishan? coward like she did before. 40

Who was the hero the woman with the

scarred face was named after? The great Heiyi 40

What happened when the Black Tortoise bit

off his own tongue and then blew on it? It turned into a snake. 41

She gave it to the masters of the

House of Wu for promising to never
What did Pinmei do with her jade bracelet? hit Haiyi again and to leave them alone. 42

The scars disappeared from her face,

and rice grains fell out of the
What happened when the servant, Haiyi, handkerchief...which was really the
wiped her face with Pinmei’s handkerchief? Paper of Answers. 42

What did Pinmei accidently hand to Haiyi the

servant to wipe her face with, instead of her
handkerchief? The Paper of Answers 43

What happened when the masters of the

House of Wu tried to wipe off the scars on They sprouted fur on their faces and
their faces with the Paper of Answers? bodies and turned into monkeys. 43
Where did Pinmei figure out the Luminous
Stone was located? At Sea Bottom 44

What did the Black Tortoise tell the snake Go to the Sea King and tell him he
that used to be his tongue to do? needed help. 45

How did BaiMa (Lady Meng’s horse) get out of Yanna let him out of the city gates
the City of Bright Moonlight? before Lady Meng left. 46

He tied it around Pinmei’s wrist and

What did Yishan do with a thread from his told her to wear it with pride because
sleeve? it was priceless. 46

What did Yishan give to Lady Meng from his The mussel that had been struck by
sleeve before she left to find her husband? the arrow. 46

How did Pinmei and Yishan get to the Sea BaiMa rode them there after he
Bottom? turned into a longma (a dragon horse) 48

What was written on the scroll the guard

gave to the stonecutter and told him to carve
in stone? The emperor’s great deeds 49

When the king of the City of Bright

When did people stop being able to see Moonlight stopped the floods in the
beasts of the heavens and seas? city. 49

What did the first king of the City of Bright

Moonlight build, rather than dams, to control
the water? Waterways to redirect the river. 49

What was the name of the dragon sent from

the sky to help the young king of the City of
Bright Moonlight? HuangLong 49

What was the name of the tortoise that was

sent from the sea to help the young king of
the City of Bright Moonlight? Bauxi 49

How was Bauxi related to the Black Tortoise

of Winter? Distant cousins 49
Why didn’t the king’s father want the
tortoise (Bauxi) and the dragon (HuangLong)
to leave after they helped hold back the river
and build the waterways? He was powerful with them. 49

How long did it take for the tortoise (Bauxi)

and the dragon (HuangLong) to finish the
irrigation system? Nine years 49

Why couldn’t Bauxi get out of the hole where It was too heavy with the stone tablet
the king’s father had a stone tablet erected? and he was trapped. 49

Why was the stone tablet that trapped Bauxi It listed all the great accomplishments
so heavy? of the world. 49

What happened when Bauxi got mad about

being trapped in the hole? He yowled and turned to stone. 49

What did HuangLong do when he kept the

oath to the king’s father after Bauxi turned He disappeared and became invisible
to stone? so no one could see him again. 49

What did the Jade Emperor do when he He decreed that all beasts of the
heard what happened to Bauxi and heavens would no longer be seen by
HuangLong? mortals. 49

Why did the emperor want the stonecutter to To put in his wall to make a cage for
carve his great accomplishments into stone? the Tortoise of Winter. 49

What were the red trees Pinmai saw in the

ocean? coral 50

What were the glowing lanterns Pinmei saw in

the ocean? jellyfish 50

What were the twinklng stars Pinmei saw in

the ocean? Tiny swimming fish 50

What was the name of the palace of the Sea

King? The Crystal Palace 50

What happened to BaiMa when they got the He turned into a statue on the stone
Crystal Palace? platform. 50
What were the many names of the man with a
coral cane and a scar on his body that Stone Fish, Happy Fish, Not a Dragon,
greeted Pinmei and Yishan at the Crystal Special Treasure, Gift, and Joy to the
Palace? Heart. 51

What was the name of the girl who gave the

fish of joy to the first king of the City of
Bright Moonlight, who released it into the
lake for everyone? Meiya (Yishan’s aunt) 51

What was the fish’s favorite name for

himself? Joy to the Heart 51

In honor of the Sea King because he

used to be a mortal man, so he felt
Why did the Joy to the Heart fish take the more comfortable with them in mortal
form of a man? forms. 51

He was the statue that broke when

Why did the Joy to the Heart fish have a the magistrate wanted to put him in a
scar and was missing one leg? fancy gang (container) to carry him in. 51

Why wouldn’t the Joy to the Heart fish use It would be an insult to the fishtail
his fishtail while in the Crystal Palace? goddess, Nuwa. 51

Who was the only one allowed to take on fish The princess, who had some of Nuwa’s
form while in the Crystal Palace? blood in her. 51

What did the Joy to the Heart fish give to

the princess of Crystal Palace? The needle from the treasury 51

When did the Joy to the Heart fish know When they were both stone that
BaiMa before? dreamed of becoming something else. 51

What did the creatures of Sea Bottom need

if they wanted to become something else? The help of someone above the sea. 51

Who did Joy to the Heart fish say were the

only ones that could give immortality? mortals. 51
What were the tiny guards at the Crystal
Palace? shrimp 52

To alert the creatures above the sea

that he couldn’t keep the ocean
Why did the Sea King light the beacons? unfrozen for more than a moment. 52

What was the twisting black string that came A snake -- the tongue of the Black
to speak to the Sea King? Tortoise. 52

What was the only thing the snake would say

to the Sea King? The Black Tortoise needs help. 53

What was another name for the Luminous

Stone that Lights the Night? Nuwa’s tear 53

What did the strand Nuwa’s hair become

when her husband pulled it out? The Iron Rod 53

What did the drop of blood from Nuwa’s head

become when her husband pulled the strand
of her hair? The Red Stone 53

What did the single tear Nuwa cried become The Luminous Stone That Lights the
when she sacrificed herself to save the sky? Night 53

Where did the Sea King bring Pinmei and

Yishan to see Nuwa’s Tear (The Luminous
Stone that Lights the Night)? The garden 54

What were the things that looked like fruit in

the garden of the Crystal Palace? pearls 54

What did the immortals of the sky call the

Heavenly Lake? The Celestial River 54

What did the mortals call the Heavenly Lake? The Starry River 54

What is the Starry River? The sky 54

Where did the ocean and sky connect? At the bottom of the Heavenly Lake 54
What was the Luminous Stone that Lights the
Night? The moon 54

Why did the Sea King say the Luminous Stone So everyone could see it because it
that Lights the Night floated in Heavenly belongs to everyone in the sea, sky,
Lake? and earth. 55

Why did Yishan say that he and Pinmei had to

take the moon (the Luminous Stone that
Lights the Night)? To give it to the emperor 55

Why did Pinmei tell Yishan he shouldn’t jump The lake was the sky, so he could fall
into the Heavenly Lake? forever 55

How did Yishan get the moon (the Luminous He made a lasso from the bracelet of
Stone that Lights the Night) out of Heavenly thread he gave to Pinmei and grabbed
Lake? it. 56

How many tries did Yishan have to do to

finally tie the lasso around the moon? Six times. 56

They saw disgust in the eyes of the

good Sea King when he called them
Why did Yishan and Pinmei put the moon back thieves, and Pinmei knew Amah would
into Heavenly Lake? be disappointed in her too. 56

What did Pinmei cry into after they returned

the moon to Heavenly Lake? The Paper of Answers 57

Who read the Paper of Answers for Pinmei

and Yishan when they were next to the moon ( The Sea King, because he was
Luminous Stone that Lights the Night)? immortal, so he was able to read it. 58

What question did Yishan ask the Paper of How has the emperor captured the
Answers? Black Tortoise of Winter? 58

He knew the emperor was invincible

Why did Yishan ask how the emperor because he had captured the Black
captured the Black Tortoise of Winter, Tortoise, and they had to rescue
rather than how they could save Amah? everyone, not just Amah. 59
What did the emperor use to capture the
Black Tortoise of Winter? The Iron Rod 59

What kind of animals were the royal guards

or generals of the Sea King in the Crystal
Palace? crabs 60

How did the Sea King say the emperor must

have stolen the Iron Rod? By having an immortal steal it for him. 60

Why did they question the Sea King’s queen They sometimes used the Iron Rod as
and her servants? a needle for their sewing. 60

What did the Sea King change into so he

could take Yishan and Pinmei back to the
shore? A dragon 60

Where did the stonecutter say was the

safest place in the world? A prison cell 61

What was the name of the Painter with a

magic paintbrush? Painter Chen 61

What was the name of the boy who was the

son of a fisherman, but wanted to be an
artist? Liang 61

What did Liang wish for most? A paintbrush 61

What did Liang do with the piece of bamboo

he found while taking car of his father’s Drew pictures with water on the inside
nets? of the boat. 61

What got tangled in Liang’s father’s fishing

nets? A girl’s (a mermaid’s) hair 61

Cut it and took the lock that was still

in the fishing net and tied it to the
What did Liang do to the mermaid’s hair that end of the piece of bamboo to make a
was tangled in the fishing net? paintbrush. 61

What happened when Liang painted a frog? It turned real and hopped away. 61

What did Liang paint for himself with the

magic brush? Ink and paper 61

What did Liang paint for his dad with the

magic paintbrush? A boat 61
What did Liang paint for his mom with the
magic paintbrush? A silk robe 61

What did a corrupt judge order some thugs

to do to Liang? Steal his paintbrush 61

What happened when the corrupt judge tried

to paint a mountain of gold with the magic
paintbrush? It was just a pile of dirty stones. 61

What happened when the corrupt judge tried

to paint gold ingots with the magic
paintbrush? It was just a bowl of rotten duplings 61

What happened when the corrupt judge tried

to paint one bar of gold with the magic
paintbrush? It turned into a yellow snake. 61

A chicken with golden feathers and

What did Liang paint for the corrupt judge? red eyes that layed gold eggs. 61

It disappeared and turned into a wet

What happened when rain fell on the chicken piece of paper with a picture of a
that laid golden eggs? chicken on it. 61

What happened to all the golden eggs the

chicken laid after it rained? They turned to regular, rotten eggs 61

How did Liang escape from the corrupt judge He painted a giant crane, jumped on
after he painted a chicken for him? its back, and flew away. 61

What did Liang change his name to after he

escaped from the judge? Chen. 61

How did Chen prevent his pictures from

coming to life? He never finished them. 61

What did the judge commision Painter Chen

to paint for him after he became a
magistrate? A dragon 61

What happened when the magistrate put a

dot in the eye of the dragon that Painter It came to life, destroyed the
Chen had painted? magistrate’s palace, and disappeared. 61

Where was Painter Chen when the

magistrate’s men tried to capture him? Painting on the Long Walkway 61
How did Painter Chen escape from the Painted a boat in the water, got into
magistrate and his men? it, and sailed away. 61

What quality did the stonecutter think made

all characters the same? power 61

Where did Yishan and Pinmei walk to after

the Sea King took them to land? To the Capital City 62

Whose husband was a funeral being held for

in the Capital City when Yishan and Pinmei got
there? Lady Meng’s 62

What did the emperor wear while following

the coffin of Lady Meng’s dead husband? White mourning robes 62

What did Lady Meng insist on for the funeral

for her husband, even though it could bring
bad luck? Burying him at sea 62

Why did the emperor agree on burying Lady

Meng’s husband at sea, and follow his coffin in He would do anything to get Lady
white mourning robes? Meng to marry him. 62

What did Lady Meng do to the Vast Wall? She destroyed it by crying tears on it. 62

What did Lady Meng put into the coffin with

her dead husband? The embroidered bundle of cloth. 62

What did Lady Meng do after her husband’s Jumped into the water after it, and
coffin was dropped into the sea? the water froze over. 63

Why didn’t anyone except for Pinmei and

Yishan see Lady Meng swim away under the They were all looking the opposite
ice and flip a fish tail. direction. 63

Amah told Pinmei she could always

Why did Pinmei trust Yishan? trust him. 65

How did a pearl (A Luminous Stone that Hi let Lady Meng use it when she
Lights the Night) end up in Yishan’s cried, and Lady Meng was the Sea
handkerchief? King’s daughter. 65

What was the pearl in Yishan’s handkerchief

made from? Lady Meng’s tear. 65
What three things did the Old Man of the The Bashe Snake that lived under
Moon tell Haiyi he would have to get rid of Black Bridge The Noxious Zhen bird
for the village could be happy and he would be that lived on Northern Mountain Haiyi
called a hero? himself 66

What made the Noxious Zhen bird’s feathers

poisonous? It drank the venom of vipers 66

What could the Noxious Zhen bird’s blood do? Melt stone 66

What could the Noxious Zhen bird’s saliva do? Dissolve steel 66

He left the village to rid it of its last

evil (himself) and reformed himself,
How did Haiyi become a great hero? living a life of peace. 66

What did the emperor say after Amah (the

Storyteller) told him The STory of the Three She was never to speak in his presence
Evils? again. 66

What did Pinmei ask the emperor for in

exchange for the Luminous Stone that Lights
the Night? Her grandmother - Amah. 68

Where did they wait for night in order to

test the Luminous Stone that Lights the
Night? In the Hall of Imperial Longevity 68

What gate did the guards bring Amah

through to the Hall of Imperial Longevity? The Black Tortoise Gate 68

Why did the emperor have someone taste his

food before he ate it? To make sure it wasn’t poisoned. 69

He was using the blue rice bowl with

What did Pinmei see when the emperor eating the white rabbit that was taken from
a dumpling with his silver chopsticks? her hut. 69

What were the many names of the mountain Endless Mountain, Moon-Holding Peak,
Pinmei and Amah lived on? Never-Ending Mountaing 70

What did they saw rested on top of the

Endless Mountain? The moon. 70

The Wise Sage, the Spirit of the

What were the names of the old man of the Mountain, and the Old Man of the
moon? Moon. 70
Why were new rulers supposed to climb to To meet with the Mountain Spirit and
the top of the Endless Mountain? gain his wisdom and approval. 70

Why did the ruler have to climb the mountain The mountain can only use its powers
cliffs all alone? for one person at a time. 70

What did the Spirit of the Mountain tell the

Green Tiger emperor he was stuck with until
he let the Black Tortoise go? Winter 70

He had to steal... a bite of a long-life

Why did the Spirit of the Mountain say the peach, the Iron Rod, and the power of
Green Tiger emperor was poor? the Black Tortoise. 70

What did the Spirit of the Mountain call the

Green Tiger emperor that insulted him most? A poor mortal. 70

After the Green Tiger emperor returned

from the mountain, what could everyone see? He was crazy, cruel, and ruthless. 70

What did Pinmei see glinting from the The metal pin sticking out of an
emperor’s collar? embroidered image. 70

It was a trap...the emperor didn’t

What did Amah yell when she got the gag out really want the Luminous Stone that
of her mouth? Lights the Night...he wanted Yishan. 70

Yishan was the Ginseng Boy...and also

the Old Man of the Moon or Spirit of
Why did the emperor want Yishan? the Mountain. 71

Why did the emperor know that Yishan would He could never ignore mortal
come? suffering. 71

What did the emperor want to do to Yishan

(the Ginseng Boy)? Kill him so he could be immortal. 71

What did Pinmei grab from the emperor’s The needle that was really the Iron
black embroidery of a tortoise? Rod. 71
What was crushed when Pinmei pulled out the
needle and the black thread of the
embroidered turtle unraveled? The Black Tortoise Gate 71

What protected Pinmei when the Capital City

was destroyed? The needle Pinmei held in her hand. 72

He pricked his finger and held it over

the blue rice bowl with the white
rabbit on it, and fed the clear golden
How did Yishan heal Amah? liquid that fell into the bowl to Yishan. 73

What did Yishan look like after he healed An old man dressed in gray with a red
Amah? bag in his hand. 74

She wanted Yishan to live his life as a

Why did Amah think Meiya would never boy and grow old instead of always
forgive her? giving up his youth to keep her alive. 74

What happened when Yishan shook the needle

in his hand? It became a walking stick. 74

How old was Yishan, really? ninety-nine 74

What happened when Yishan threw the white- It covered him and grew into a
rabbit rice bowl at the body of the emperor? mountain. 74

How did the emperor become immortal, as the

Paper of Answers said he would? Through stories. 74

Immortality is a gift that has to be

What did the emperor never understand? given….it can’t be stolen. 74

When would Pinmei see Yishan? As the moon, every night. 74

What silhouette did Pinmei see sitting at the

top of the mountain, waiting for Yishan? A rabbit. 74

What was the loveliest wonder of all those

Pinmei saw on her journey? A rainbow by the light of the moon. 74

Who did Yanna see coming into the City of

Bright Moonlight? Her father 76
Why did Pinmei and Amah come back to the To return the Paper of Answers to
City of Bright Moonlight? King KaeJae. 76

What did King KaeJae call his pavilion where

he painted? Pavilion of Solitude 76

What did Pinmei see in the fingers of a

maiden painted on the beams of the Long
Walkway? A maiden holding a silver needle. 76

What did the author learn to do in Chinese author's

when she was a child? Count to ten. note

What does the number six sound like in author's

Chinese? Smooth or peaceful note

What does the number eight sound like in author's

Chinese? Good fortune note

What does the number nine sound like in author's

Chinese? Forever or longevity note

Where do Chinese people often embed In emperor’s robes, paintings, special author's
numbers because of their meanings? dates, and license plates note

What number is important in the book Where author's

the Mountain Meets the Moon? Eight (good fortune) note

What number is important in the book Starry author's

River of Sky? Six (peace) note

What number is important in this book When author's

the Sea Turned to Silver? Nine (immortality) note

Who is the main character in the book, author's

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon? Minli note

Who is the main character in the book, author's

Starry River of Sky? Rendi note

What does the author, Grace Lin, say is how

we share our lives, what we mourn when they
are lost, connect us to our past, and carry us
to our future, what we cherish and author's
remember? Stories. note