Weight in the Shape of Liubo Game Player

Weight in the Shape of Liubo Game Player

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A popular game in the Han dynasty, liubo involves two players who gamble by using dice, counters, gaming pieces, and a marked board. The bronze figures exhibited in this case—two players and two spectators—were used as weights to hold the floor mat in place. These figures, which capture a dramatic moment in a heated game, represent leisure activities in ancient China.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.