Luohan with a lion cub

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Enlightened Buddhist disciples are known in China as “luohan” (arhat in Sanskrit), and they have been an important subject in Chinese art since the tenth century. They are often depicted in groups of sixteen, eighteen, and even five hundred figures. This rock-crystal figure can be identified as Vijraputra, who is often shown playing with a lion cub. Here, the lively cub and meditating luohan illustrate the coexistence of joy and peace.

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