Rice measure with four constellation deities

Rice measure with four constellation deities

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This vessel’s shape and pattern identify it as a rare example of a rice measure used in Daoist rituals. On each side is a figure in a Daoist robe with one of four animals (dragon, ox, dog, and goat). These animals represent constellation deities from the set of twenty-eight mansions in Chinese astronomy, which reflect the movement of the moon in a sidereal month.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rice measure with four constellation deitiesRice measure with four constellation deitiesRice measure with four constellation deitiesRice measure with four constellation deitiesRice measure with four constellation deities

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.