Kosode with a Paragon of Filial Piety

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In the late Edo period, warrior-class women often wore robes ornamented with Japanese or Chinese classical or literary themes. Embedded in the decoration of this robe—a winter landscape with plum blossoms and chrysanthemums—is a visual reference to the ancient Chinese Confucian legends known as the Twenty-Four Paragons of Filial Piety. The story illustrated here involves Wang Xiang (Japanese: Ōshō), a third-century official who, to fulfill his stepmother's craving for fresh fish in midwinter, caught some fish by lying on the ice until it melted. Wang Xiang is represented by only his clothing: an official's cap in gold with a red cord and a court robe in white with green details lie on the riverbank in front of a fishing pole and creel.

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