Funerary Urn (Hunping)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One modern theory about the use of this elaborately modeled urn is that it may have been intended to serve as an eternal dwelling place for the soul of the deceased. It is topped with a heavenly palatial structure held aloft by a flock of birds. Auspicious animals, including an elephant and a deer, surround the palace. To ensure its efficacy, this Daoist vision of paradise is ringed with a row of Buddhas seated in meditation on lion thrones with lotus petals. These are among the earliest Buddhist images known in China, and their presence on this vessel indicates how Buddhism was gradually integrated into indigenous belief systems.

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