Guardian Protector of the East (Dongfang chiguo tianwang)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Guardians, particularly the four associated with the cardinal directions, play an important role in Buddhism and are most frequently shown within larger groupings of divinities. Here, the Guardian Protector of the East sits upon a demon symbolic of the obstacles that must be overcome to attain enlightenment, such as egoism and greed. In most Chinese imagery, the Guardian of the East brandishes a sword, but he is shown with a bow and arrow in the southwest province of Yunnan, which from the tenth to the thirteenth century was under the control of the independent Dali kingdom. The inclusion of arsenic in the copper alloy used to cast this sculpture is also typical of Yunnan.

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