Nine Elders of Mount Xiang

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The animated figures in this wooded mountain scene, carved on a stone boulder, represent the celebrated gathering of Bai Juyi, a renowned poet of the Tang dynasty (618–907), and his friends on the Hill of Fragrance (Xiangshan) in the eastern capital city Luoyang. Freed from their official duties, the nine retirees enjoyed nature, poetry, and other scholarly activities—a dream lifestyle for the learned elite class.

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