The Chinese music system of the Bronze Age was probably the most sophisticated in the world at the time. FRANCES KUO takes us along to an exhibit of ancient Chinese bells that offers visitors a unique look and listen.

At Washington's Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, visitors are transported to the Chinese Bronze Age -- thousands of years ago. Seventy-five bells take center stage. The biggest weighing in at 90 kilograms almost 200 pounds. The smallest just a few milligrams. Some are similar to the famous collection of Chinese ruler Marquis Yi whose tomb was unearthed in Hubei Province in 1978. That discovery sparked interest in the ancient bells worldwide.

MICHAEL CONLEY VISITOR "I first read about these bells in high school."

KEITH WILSON, CURATOR ANCIENT CHINESE ART, FREER GALLERY "In this one tomb, they found an accumulation of some 65 bells as well as a range of musical instruments." 

All of the bells are made out of bronze, a tough material ideal for making weapons. Yet even during that period of war, Marquis Yi used them to make music.

KEITH WILSON, CURATOR ANCIENT CHINESE ART, FREER GALLERY "The Chinese music system of the Bronze Age was probably the most sophisticated in the world. I think most people don't know that."

The ancient bells were last played in 1991 when 12 tones of a six-bell set were recorded. The Sackler Gallery commissioned three composers to take those distinct notes and make their own audio and visual compositions. At the exhibit, visitors can observe the difference between the ancient bells -- and their western counterparts from their shapes to their sounds. 

FRANCES KUO WASHINGTON "At this display, visitors can virtually strike the ancient bells in front of them and match them up with the keys of a modern keyboard."

Touching up the tones is one thing, handling the bells is another.

KEITH WILSON, CURATOR ANCIENT CHINESE ART, FREER GALLERY "Our conservation team is loath to have us play them today. There's a concern about how intact the metal is in each of the instruments."

It's not just about protecting the objects themselves -- but a bit of their mystique.

KEITH WILSON, CURATOR OF ANCIENT CHINESE ART, FREER "The designers of the bells could have made clear strike points, indicated very clearly in the design of the bell, the exact strike points they wanted you to use. They didn't do that. So it would've really been up to the performers at the time to know where exactly they should strike them. Maybe they didn't want us to know!"

And maybe it's a way to strike our own imagination -- about just how history played out. FRANCES KUO, CGTN, WASHINGTON.