Bronze used as ritual vessels hit its peak era during the three dynasties: Xia (c. 21st century-16th century BC), Shang (c. 16th century-11th century BC) and Zhou (c. 11th century-256 BC), she says. It gradually faded from the limelight afterward, until the Song Dynasty (960-1279), when imitations of ancient ritual vessels began to appear.

Bronzeware continued to enjoy great popularity throughout the subsequent Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, undergoing a functional transformation as trends changed, Wei observes.

Their placement gradually shifted from temples and palaces to the studies of the literati and civilian households.

Meanwhile, bronzeware craftsmanship became increasingly refined. Artisans drew on a wide range of influences to create more diverse and eclectic vessel styles, evolving from simple and solemn to exquisite and ornate, ushering in a new era of bronze art while reflecting society's cultural trends.

For a long time, these latter-period bronze artifacts were often labeled as archaistic and received relatively little attention from the academic world.

In recent years, with the successive publication of archaeological discoveries, numerous dated artifacts have been found in collections around the world. The academic community has conducted in-depth research, leading to a progressively mature understanding of archaic bronze vessels.

"No single museum can fully present the complete story of bronze in China, so we need an exhibition like this, that brings together artifacts from all over the world, centering on the outstanding collections of the Shanghai Museum and The Met," says Lu Pengliang, curator of Chinese art at The Met.