Bowl with decorative medallions

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Some of the brightly colored medallions on this bowl derive from flowers, others from balls found under the feet of lions in Buddhist art. The latter may have developed from the wishing jewel (Sanskrit: cintamani), which was introduced to China with Buddhist iconography, and later became a flaming pearl associated with dragons and widely used as an auspicious motif.

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