Red Zhong Kui, the Demon Queller

Katsushika Hokusai

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Zhong Kui, known in Japan as Shōki, was a scholar of early seventh-century China. Cheated out of the first rank in civil service examinations, he died by suicide but was buried with honors after the emperor heard of his tragic death. In gratitude, Shōki appeared to a subsequent Chinese emperor in a dream as an exorcist who vowed to quell demons and banish disease. In Japan, auspicious images of Shōki were displayed for Boys’ Day, a spring festival celebrating children’s health. In this work made by Katsushika Hokusai at the age of eighty-seven, the artist painted Zhong Kui in red, a color thought to have magical efficacy in warding off smallpox.

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