Double vessel with mythical beasts (champion vase)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of vessel, with two narrow vertical compartments connected by a carving of a mythical bird, is known as a “champion vase” in Western writings. The name may be a loose translation of yingxiongbei, or “hero’s cup,” referring to the eagle (ying) and the bear (xiong) supporting it. Based on an archaic bronze type that can be traced back to the second century BCE, champion vases were revived beginning in the sixteenth century and were subsequently manufactured in different media, including cloisonné, jade, and rhinoceros horn.

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