Bowl with auspicious symbols

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This bowl combines Buddhist and Daoist symbols in an unusual composition. Set among lotus scrolls, auspicious symbols include not only the Eight Buddhist Treasures but also miscellaneous emblems, such as three peaks, swastikas (symbolizing eternity), ingots, and rhinoceros horns. The roundel on the center of the interior base is a stylized symbol of taiji (or yin-yang), a primary force of the universe in Chinese philosophy.

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