Finial for a Buddhist staff (khatvanga)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tibetan Buddhism was practiced at the Chinese court throughout the fifteenth century. This finial would have capped a long staff used in Buddhist rituals to quell demons, which are symbolic of obstacles that must be overcome to reach enlightenment. Depicted on this implement are an overflowing vase (an Indic symbol of abundance) and three heads (one human, one decaying, and one skeletal), which represent the inevitability of change and death.

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