Cup depicting Three Laughers of Tiger Ravine

18th century

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 219

Huddled beneath a cliff, a famous poet (Tao Yuanming, 365–427), a Daoist priest (Lu Xiujing, 406–477), and a Buddhist monk (Huiyuan, 334–416) burst into unrestrained laugher as the monk unintentionally breaks a vow by crossing the bridge separating his monastery from the mundane world. This widely depicted scene serves as a parable for the importance of crossing boundaries in the pursuit of understanding.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Exhibition History

References

清乾隆犀角雕虎溪三笑杯
Title: Cup depicting Three Laughers of Tiger Ravine
Period: Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong period (1736–95)
Date: 18th century
Culture: China
Medium: Rhinoceros horn
Dimensions: H. 4 in. (10.2 cm); H. incl. base 7 3/8 in. (18.7 cm)
Classification: Horn
Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1908
Object Number: 08.212.10
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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