Sutra Cover with Eight Buddhist Treasures

Sutra Cover with Eight Buddhist Treasures

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Woven in the delicate kesi tapestry technique, this horizontal panel features a group of Eight Auspicious Emblems (umbrella, double fish, vase, flower, conch shell, endless knot, canopy, and wheel) that were initially introduced to China with Buddhism, and later became traditional motifs in the decorative arts. Each emblem rests on a lotus flower, and each has decorative ribbons fluttering to either side. An additional Buddhist symbol, a flaming jewel, crowns many of the eight, and a vegetal scroll serves to link the lotuses that support the eight treasures. A series of prowling five-clawed dragons fills the borders of the panels.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sutra Cover with Eight Buddhist TreasuresSutra Cover with Eight Buddhist TreasuresSutra Cover with Eight Buddhist TreasuresSutra Cover with Eight Buddhist TreasuresSutra Cover with Eight Buddhist Treasures

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.