Wine cup with two ducks

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

West Asian depictions of two birds facing one another may have helped to inspire the representation of the two mandarin ducks in the interior of this cup. In Chinese culture the ducks are a longstanding symbol for marital happiness.

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