Panel with five phoenixes in a garden

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Large pictorial silk tapestries such as these were woven mostly in the imperial workshops in Suzhou, a textile center in southeast China. The background of bright yellow, a color exclusive to the emperor, further confirms the imperial origins. Though usually translated as “phoenix” in English, the fenghuang bird is a distinct mythical species with a different set of associations. The fenghuang, most noble of all feathered species, is said to appear only in times of peace and prosperity, so the creature is depicted frequently in works commissioned by imperial courts.

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