Mirror with symbols of the four cardinal directions

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The four mythological creatures depicted on the back of this mirror refer to symbols of the cardinal directions: the blue dragon of the east, the white tiger of the west, the red bird of the south, and the dark entwined snake and tortoise of the north. These associations emerged in Chinese cosmology around the third century BCE and became firmly established in the following centuries. A long inscription encircling the animals, elegantly calligraphed in relief, illustrates a critical phase in the development of Chinese writing, when the regular script attained its standard form. The text appears to reference an important historical moment when the Sui dynasty claimed to have ushered in an era equivalent to the legendary realm of the immortals.

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