Food serving vessel (dui)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The lid of this food container is embellished with three animals that function as feet when the lid is inverted as a tray. Paired dragons and rolling curls decorate the vessel surface. The cast depressions in the design are filled in with a black pigment made of bone char and lacquer that enhances the contrast between the composition and background. The vessel’s sumptuous decor is characteristic of late Eastern Zhou bronzes, which by this period were seen as symbols of wealth and status rather than simply paraphernalia for solemn rituals.

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