Dish with the Three Friends of Winter

Dish with the Three Friends of Winter

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pine needles, bamboo leaves, and plum blossoms fill the center of this deeply carved dish. Plum blossoms, which are among the first flowers of early spring, are often associated in Chinese art with evergreen pine and bamboo. Together, the trio are known as the “Three Friends of Winter,” a motif symbolizing how a lofty individual perseveres even in the harshest environment.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dish with the Three Friends of WinterDish with the Three Friends of WinterDish with the Three Friends of WinterDish with the Three Friends of WinterDish with the Three Friends of Winter

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.