Peanuts and jujube dates

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In this charming carving, a master craftsman has cleverly adapted the sculptural design to the stone’s original shape and colors. The artist used the translucent brown gem to create the glazed surface of the fruit and the yellowish opaque crust for the bumpy look of the peanut shells. The peanuts and jujube dates are rebuses: the words rhyme with the phrase “may you have children soon” (zao sheng gui zi), a common wish for newly married couples.

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