Epitaph tablets (myoji)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The set of thirty-four epitaph tablets (myoji) commemorates the life of O Myeong-hang (1673–1728), a scholar-official and calligrapher who served under several Joseon kings and eventually rose to the position of state councillor. An important historical document, the set provides insight into the mortuary practices of Neo-Confucian society in eighteenth-century Korea, when epitaphs describing the life and achievements of the deceased were written on stone or ceramic tablets and placed inside graves.

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