Water vessel in the shape of a marriage cup

Water vessel in the shape of a marriage cup

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The marriage cup, which derives its name from the shape of two joined rhombuses, signifies the ideal union of two individuals. On one side of the cup are two small boys, one holding a ruyi scepter and the other wearing a vest decorated with coin shapes. Their companions on the other side hold a peach and a vase filled with coral. While the accessories in their hands stand for happiness, wealth, and longevity, the boys themselves allude to the proliferation of offspring as the hopeful result of a marriage.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Water vessel in the shape of a marriage cupWater vessel in the shape of a marriage cupWater vessel in the shape of a marriage cupWater vessel in the shape of a marriage cupWater vessel in the shape of a marriage cup

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.