Couplet from a Poem by Han Hong

Couplet from a Poem by Han Hong

Emperor Lizong

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The confidence and boldness displayed by the large characters of this fan epitomize Lizong's late style. Written when the emperor was fifty-six years old, the fan is his latest extant dated work. The couplet, from a poem entitled "Farewell to Yuan Shen on His Return to Jiangdong" by Han Hong (act. ca. 766-80), a well-known Tang dynasty poet, brings to mind the scenery around the Southern Song capital: The sounds of the tide rise at noon; The greens of the mountains are deepest in the south.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Couplet from a Poem by Han HongCouplet from a Poem by Han HongCouplet from a Poem by Han HongCouplet from a Poem by Han HongCouplet from a Poem by Han Hong

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.