Bowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of Longevity

Bowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of Longevity

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Embellishing the exterior of this deep bowl are ten symbols of longevity: pairs of turtles (with exaggerated streams of breath rising from their mouths), cranes, and deer; plants such as bamboo, pine trees, and mushrooms of immortality; water; mountain or rock; sun; and blossom-like clouds. The interior features a roundel with the stylized Chinese character for long life: 壽 (Korean: su).

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of LongevityBowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of LongevityBowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of LongevityBowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of LongevityBowl decorated with the Ten Symbols of Longevity

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.