Bodhisattva Guanyin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Like many Buddhist sculptures, this one originally contained, in its hollow interior, a paper dedication inscribed with the patron’s wishes. Though the bodhisattva does not take the outward form of Guanyin the Bringer of Sons, the inscription expresses the patron’s hope for a male heir: “The [Buddhist] believers Kong Xishan and his wife wholeheartedly commission the carving of this golden-bodied Guanyin in order to entreat [Guanyin] to fulfill our wishes that we may live together to old age and have a fine son soon.”

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