Gourd-Shaped Case with Pattern of Pig-Faced Creature

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The imagery on this bag is taken from the Xiyou ji (The Journey to the West), a Ming-dynasty (1368–1644) text based on the historical pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk Xuanzang (596–664) from China to India for the purpose of bringing back Buddhist scriptures. The boldly rendered, pig-faced creature is Zhu Bajie, one of Xuanzang’s supernatural animal companions, shown here with the rake he uses as a weapon.

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