Middle Spring and Autumn period This magnificent bronze bo is the largest bell in the largest known set of bells from the Spring and Autumn period. Its body is decorated with intricately interlaced dragon flanges and paired dragons in relief on the upper half of the bell, and it features an inscription of 188 legible characters. Loan courtesy of the Suizhou Museum

Late Spring and Autumn period This monumental bronze yong is the largest of eight bells found in the tomb of Marquis Yu of Zeng. It is embellished with intricate coiled serpent motifs and a high-relief dragon design, and it features a 169-character inscription tracing the origins of the state of Zeng. Loan courtesy of the Suizhou Museum

This standing drum, supported on a pedestal formed by two phoenixes standing on the backs of two tigers, is one of the most iconic Chu instruments. It is one of the few surviving drums of its kind to retain its detailed red and black geometric patterns. Loan courtesy of the Xiangyang Museum

Late Shang dynasty Most chimes were carved from stone; bronze examples are exceptionally rare, and only four have survived. This remarkable specimen is said to produce multiple distinct tones, revealing the extraordinary acoustic sophistication of this early instrument.

Loan courtesy of the Changyang Museum

Warring States period This painted stone chime is part of one of the most ornate sets of stone chimes ever discovered. Though much of the color has faded over time, some of the chime’s painting of phoenixes, done in a striking Chu style, is still visible. Loan courtesy of the Hubei Provincial Museum

Late Spring and Autumn or early Warring States period This bell offers a rare window into the early history of the Qin state, centuries before its rise to imperial power. Featuring intricate embellishments, it exemplifies the technical precision and artistic sophistication of bronze craftsmanship. Loan courtesy of the Yichang Museum

Early Western Zhou period This impressive bo comes from the first known set of bells capable of producing all four principal tones used in early Zhou court music, suggesting Zeng’s advanced musical and bronze casting practices. Its ornamentation features phoenix, cloud, and animal mask motifs and flattened flanges formed as pairs of tigers. Loan courtesy of the Suizhou Museum

Middle Warring States period This finely cast bell was unearthed from a tomb of a Chu noble. Its exterior and interior surfaces are richly cast with stylized dragon motifs, and its handle is adorned with a design of continuously interlocking scrolls. Loan courtesy of the Hubei Provincial Museum

Early Western Zhou period In ancient Chinese ritual ceremonies, musical instruments were paired with ritual vessels that held food and wine. This wine vessel represents the pinnacle of E bronzeware during the Western Zhou period. Its silhouette is enlivened by hooked appendages, and the knob of the lid is capped by a pair of birds. Loan courtesy of the Suizhou Museum