Hill Jar and Cover, Han Dynasty (206 B.C.E.–220 C.E.) Earthenware with lead glaze, 29.2 x 22.2 cm. Brooklyn Museum, Purchase gift of Dr. Bertram H. Schaffner, Mr. and Mrs. Milton F. Rosenthal, Mr. and Mrs. Greg Fitz-Gerald, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Poster, Helen Babbott Sanders Fund, Charles Stewart Smith Memorial Fund, Caroline A.L. Pratt Fund, and Caroline H. Polhemus Fund, 1995.49a-b. (Photo: Brooklyn Museum)

This jar might represent either Mount Bo or Mount Kunlun, two sacred Daoist mountains, and evokes the journey of the deceased to the immortal realms. The Animals of the Four Directions (sishen) that provide celestial navigation are strategically placed in the undulating peaks of the mountain. The legs of the vessel are formed by auspicious bears, which were popular in Han-dynasty art for their protective power; one crouching bear clutches her cubs tightly while grinning. The mythical beasts include deer, symbolizing longevity, and the figure of an immortal chasing a tiger.