Vase with Scene from the Dragon Boat Festival

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Held on the fifth day of the fifth month, the Dragon Boat festival is celebrated with eating rice dumplings, drinking wine, and—as can be seen in the painting on this vase—racing dragon boats. This festival is said to commemorate the death of the poet Qu Yuan (ca. 340–278 B.C.) who, on the day in question, committed suicide in his despair over a political situation.

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