Box with Daoists welcoming immortal Shoulao

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Boxes in this shape are often fitted with trays that have recesses for holding cups to serve wine at celebrations. The design on this example shows Daoists welcoming Shoulao, the god of longevity, as he descends from the heavens on a crane—apt imagery for a vessel used to mark a birthday and convey wishes for a long life. A historical group of Daoist immortals is seated in the individual cartouches carved on the sides of the box.

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