Rectangular wine container (fangyi)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

During the early Western Zhou dynasty, coherent animal mask images morphed into increasingly abstract patterns defined by curving, ribbon-like lines. A composite character is cast both on the interior of the vessel and on the inside of the lid: “Fu” (name, in the center) and “mian” (designation of rank, on either side).

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