One of the Four Heavenly Kings

One of the Four Heavenly Kings

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) protect the four quarters of the universe in the four cardinal directions, warding off evil and guarding the nation. In Japan they are typically placed around the main altar of a central deity, dressed as military generals, carrying an assortment of weapons and wearing ferocious expressions as they stand triumphantly over the defeated bodies of demons (symbolizing their subjugation of Buddhism’s enemies). The Burke Collection example is carved from a single block of wood (ichiboku) and wears the Chinese military armor one expects to find in representations of guardian figures from the late Heian period.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of the Four Heavenly KingsOne of the Four Heavenly KingsOne of the Four Heavenly KingsOne of the Four Heavenly KingsOne of the Four Heavenly Kings

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.