Fan Surface with a Dragon, Clouds, and Waves

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

During the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368), on the occasion of the Duanwu Festival (the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, now celebrated as the Dragon Boat Festival), the ministry of rites would present to the imperial court fans made of silk tapestry (kesi) with various pictorial subjects, including dragons in clouds. This fan surface, with a dragon breathing out a flaming pearl above waves, is a vestige of that tradition. The woven inscription indicates that it was a gift to a brother-in-law.

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