Couplet on pond scenery

Emperor Xiaozong

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The individual brush mannerisms of this couplet, though stylistically related to the calligraphy of Emperor Gaozong (1107–1187), to whom it has traditionally been attributed, compare most closely with those found in Eulogy on Calligraphy by Gaozong's son, Xiaozong. This attribution is supported by the fan's three-character dedication to [Zhao] Zhizhong, a eunuch in Xiaozong's service. The imperial seal impressed over the dedication that reads "Treasure of imperial writing," as well as the unequal spacing between characters in the right-hand line, a feature that reveals a degree of spontaneity in execution unlikely from a scribe, further corroborate the conclusion that this piece is from the emperor's own hand. The couplet describes the stillness of a pond at evening: Above the pond, a thin mist envelops the emerald green; At water's edge, the late sun plays with dragonflies.

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