Rabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leaves

Rabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leaves

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This exquisite silk embroidery depicts a rabbit gazing up at the full moon from a rocky bank. The moon and two constellations indicate that it is nighttime; the blossoming osmanthus and red leaves reveal that it is autumn—the season of the Moon Festival. An auspicious phrase on the upper right corner, crafted in the shape of a seal, reads “xi cui chuan nian” (稀翠傳年), meaning “deep green signifies longevity”.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leavesRabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leavesRabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leavesRabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leavesRabbit gazing at the moon and stars besides a blossoming osmanthus, lingzhi fungus, and autumn leaves

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.