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Fragrant Plum Blossoms

late Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Not on view

This charming print with lively flowers and birds is rife with auspicious symbols. Plum blossoms that bloom in the chilly early spring stand for perseverance against hardship. The decorative design on the central pot is a graphic form of the character for “longevity” (shou). The magpies (xi que) are harbingers of happiness, good news, and spring. Together with the plum blossoms (mei), they form a visual pun on the phrase “Happiness (xi) up to one’s eyebrows (mei).”

Fragrant Plum Blossoms, Woodblock print; ink and color on paper, China — This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Meikai shili xiang

Title: Fragrant Plum Blossoms

Period: late Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Culture: China

Medium: Woodblock print; ink and color on paper

Dimensions: Image: 11 3/4 x 18 5/8 in. (29.9 x 47.3 cm)
Overall: 16 x 21 15/16 in. (40.7 x 55.8 cm)

Classification: Prints

Credit Line: On loan from the British Museum

The Met

Asian Art at The Met

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.