Panel with dragon, phoenix, and peonies, Ming dynasty (1368–1644), 16th century. Silk and metallic-thread tapestry (kesi); 36.8 x 60.3 cm. Rogers Fund, 1932, 32.111.1. © 2000–2024 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

This vivid silk tapestry, lavishly embellished with gold thread, depicts a coiling dragon rising through clouds above mountains and waves. A colorful phoenix flies over blooming peonies, a garden rock, and a magic mushroom—all symbols of an age of peace and prosperity.