Nyoirin Kannon

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The bodhisattva Kannon (Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara) is represented here with Esoteric Buddhist attributes: the wish-fulfilling jewel (nyoi hōju) and the wheel (rin) of Buddhist teachings. Carved into the base are female donors’ names; this votive offering to a temple may have been in connection with the monthly jūkuya-kō ritual for the health and safe delivery of children.

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