Covered jar

Covered jar

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

With its balanced proportions, undecorated surface, and lid with a bud-shaped knob, the large jar reflects the refined aesthetics of the new ruling ideology of Neo-Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty. Pure white vessels like this were used as special tableware and also for ceremony and burial. The miniature version is an example of the myeonggi (spirit goods) made especially for burial. It would have been part of a set of tiny objects. The rise in popularity of myeonggi illustrates a change in funerary customs that aligned with Neo-Confucian practices.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.