Double vessel with mythical beasts (champion vase)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The term “champion vase,” which appears only in Western scholarship, refers to vessels that have two narrow vertical compartments connected by a carved mythical bird. It may be a loose translation of yingxiong bei, or hero’s cup, referring to the eagle (ying) and the bear (xiong) upon which such vessels stand. Based on an archaic bronze vessel type that can be traced back to the second century B.C., champion vases were revived beginning in the sixteenth century and were manufactured in the following centuries in different media, including jade, cloisonné enamel, and rhinoceros horn.

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