Ink Tablet Decorated with Five Pines

Cheng Junfang

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

High-quality ink cakes produced by Cheng Junfangand Fang Yulu are often decorated with designs that have literary allusions. The motif of five pines on this ink cake is derived from the story of the first emperor's trop to Tai Mountain, where he was caught in a storm. He took shelter under an ancient pine tree, on which he later conferred the official title Wutafu. A later misunderstanding of this title gave rise to the motif of five pine trees. The black stag motif on the square ink cake. Nearby alludes to the stag-tail dusters used by scholars and to their brilliant conversations.

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