Seal casket with cover

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This casket once held the imperial seal. An animated dragon sits on top of its circular lid, on whose wall are the eight auspicious symbols of Tibetan Buddhism, including the wheel of law, conch shell, parasol, canopy, lotus flower, vase, paired fish, and knot of eternity. On the four sides of its square base are the twelve regal emblems, consisting of the sun, moon, constellation, mountain, dragon, pheasant, ritual vessels, water plant, flame, rice, axe, and diagram of polarity.

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