Theatrical robe for a Buddhist priest

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This type of robe, known as a kasaya and intended for a Buddhist priest, is a piece of rectangular fabric that is wrapped over an inner robe and fastened in the front with a hook. The lining of this example bears a stamp that reads “Used in the Grand Theatre (Daxiji yong),” which indicates the robe was worn by an actor in the imperial theater in the Forbidden City rather than by an actual priest.

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