Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)

Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This case is decorated with the character shou, meaning longevity, on a fretwork ground that incorporates the swastika, or wan, signifying ten thousand years.


Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)Bag with Character for Longevity (Shou)

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.