Disk with dragons

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This disc either may have been used as inlay to decorate another a piece of furniture or a screen, or functioned as an independent work of art. Known as chihulong, the four snakelike dragons—two large, two small—prowling along the surface are identifiable by their long, narrow necks, the raised lines across their backs, and their branching tails.

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