Panel with cranes over an immortal land

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Two cranes holding sticks in their beaks fly above a landscape. A pavilion below holds a vase containing several more sticks. Cranes and sticks symbolize longevity; the source of the imagery is a legend about a man who measured his age by the number of sticks he stuck into an immortal land. The poem embroidered on the right is dated 1777 and describes this immortal land, making this panel an ideal gift for a birthday celebration. The poem bears seals of Niu Yizu (active late 18th century), a prefect of Xuzhou known for his calligraphy, who wrote the script that was used for the embroidery.

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