Bodhisattva

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Excavations in the southeast province of Zhejiang have uncovered numerous sculptures with complicated, multitiered stands, made when the region was under the control of the independent Wuyue kingdom (ruled by the Qian family). The bodhisattva in this sculpture sits on an amazing lotus pedestal composed of fifty-four individual petals. Although the bodhisattva cannot be conclusively identified, the small covered vessel in his left hand suggests that he may be associated with the practice of medicine.

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