Dish with a couple and phoenixes

Dish with a couple and phoenixes

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This dish displays a romantic story known as Phoenixes Arriving for Flute Playing (chuixiao yinfeng). Nongyu, the daughter of Duke Mu of Qin State (reigned 659–21 B.C.) married a famous flute (xiao) player. According to this legend, the couple spent all their time practicing the flute. After several years, even phoenixes came to listen to their music. One day, the couple rode away on the phoenixes and never returned.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dish with a couple and phoenixesDish with a couple and phoenixesDish with a couple and phoenixesDish with a couple and phoenixesDish with a couple and phoenixes

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.