Stele of the Xuanmi Pagoda

Stele of the Xuanmi Pagoda

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In 841, a stupa was constructed at the Anguo Monastery, in the Tang dynasty capital of Chang’an, to preserve the ashes of the great Buddhist monk Duan Fu (d. 807). A massive stone stele was erected on site to commemorate the creation of the stupa and to celebrate Duan’s accomplishments. The prominent official and calligrapher Liu Gongquan inscribed the text. Liu’s strongly angular, stately characters are well-suited to the sacred task of commemoration. The stele is considered a key example of the aesthetic superiority of Tang calligraphy, and it is still widely copied by calligraphy students today.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Stele of the Xuanmi PagodaStele of the Xuanmi PagodaStele of the Xuanmi PagodaStele of the Xuanmi PagodaStele of the Xuanmi Pagoda

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.