Pendant with Daoist divinities

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Both sides of this fruit pit are meticulously carved with images of Daoist immortals, including the fairy Magu with her deer attendant and Shoulao, God of Longevity. The small size and hard surface of fruit stones (usually ganlan, also known as “Chinese olives”) make them extremely difficult to carve, which is why this craft was highly valued. Very few of these objects were created and even fewer survived.

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