Streamer

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This streamer is part of a matching set of four in the Museum’s collection that were probably once a part of a woman’s skirt. Although usually such streamers simply come to a point at the bottom, these examples are shaped like large butterflies. On the butterfly’s back is the longevity symbol, wan, signifying ten thousand years.

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