Jar

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Written in cobalt blue on the bottom of this jar is a single Chinese character (Korean: chung). Even after the Korean alphabet, known as hangeul, was created in 1443, official court documents and writings by literati continued to use Chinese characters. Chung probably refers to Chunghūi-dang, a building (now lost) within the Ch’angdōk palace complex in modern Seoul that King Gojong (r. 1864–1907) used to receive foreign envoys.

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