Dish with an immortal on raft

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The scene on this dish represents the diplomat and expeditioner Zhang Qian (164–113 B.C.), who led the Han imperial envoy to the Western Regions. Legend has it that when Zhang attempted to find the source of the Yellow River he sailed his raft into the Milky Way. The figure here confidently sits on a single log in a relaxed posture amid turbulent waves.

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