Poem on reclusion

Zhou Lianggong

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Poems of reclusion often celebrate country living, from the delights of physical labor to the passing of the seasons. In this poem written for Geng Jie (1622–1693), Zhou describes his friend as a gentleman-farmer who tends willows, chrysanthemums, and rice when he is not writing poetry to satisfy his creative spirit. Like Zhou, Geng was a prominent scholar-official, and times away from the pressures of government service were rare and precious.

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