Roof tile end with tiger

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In ancient Chinese cosmology, the tiger symbolizes the western quadrant of the four cardinal directions. The animal was depicted on molded bricks, roof tiles, and walls of buildings to protect the living, as well as on architectural parts of tomb chambers to guard the deceased in the afterlife.

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