Calligraphy Couplet

Lianfang Songfou

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The poetic couplet on this pair of tapestries is woven to represent calligraphy written in clerical script. The background imitates spotted bamboo, which was highly regarded in China because the spots on the stalks were understood to represent the tears of two empresses after the death of the legendary ruler Shun. The signature indicates that the original calligraphy is the work of Aisin Gioro Songfu (act. early 19th century), a member of the imperial family who was Minister of the Justice from 1825 to 1826. The couplet conflates two different poems by the famous Song dynasty poet Su Shi (1037–1101): Clear spirit and cool mind keep one from the mundane Good harvest and social harmony create ease.

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