Octagonal box with “dragon pine”

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The designer of this box transformed the pine tree into a fanciful dragon, symbol of the emperor. This combination probably expressed a wish that the emperor live as long as the pine, an emblem of longevity. The box was made with the same technique as the adjacent dragon dish, and they bear identical dated marks, which implies that they were made in the same imperial workshop, if not by the same hands.

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