Incense Burner with Dragons Chasing Pearl

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The inscription written on the outside of the lip indicates that the jar was offered by members of the Wu family to the Temple of the Lord of the Black Heaven in order to protect the peace of the family and the home in 1564. The Lord of the Black Heaven is one of the many quasi-historical immortals found in Daoist traditions.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art