The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s engaging “Recasting the Past” exhibition looks at the antiquarian spirit in China since the 12th century.

Narrator: Life was really different in the Shang dynasty to life today ... bowls and weapons from bronze. This needed a lot of people to do the work, and managers to watch over the craftsmen.

The Han dynasty established the Silk Road as the Shang rose to prominence around 1750 BCE. Still, they did invent writing, developed a stratified government, and advanced bronze technology ...