Mirror with moon goddess and rabbit

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Depicted on the back of this mirror is the goddess Chang’e who, according to Chinese folklore, flees to the moon after stealing the elixir of immortality from her husband, the brave warrior Hou Yi, who saved the earth by shooting down nine of the ten scorching suns. She resides on the moon with a toad and a rabbit who uses a pestle and mortar to grind the magical ingredients of the elixir.

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