We continue with our series "If Treasures Could Talk", showcasing some of China's most valuable ancient treasures. Today's masterpiece is from Hubei Museum's collection. It's Marquis Yi of Zeng's Zun and Basin, a wine vessel and basin set. Its complexity marvels even the most skilled artisans in modern times. So much so, that a craftsman spent twenty years to make a full-scale replica. Let's find out what story the ancient treasure could tell.

You have a new message from an ancient treasure.

This wine vessel and basin set was discovered in the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng. The complex design, featuring intertwined beasts and hornless dragons, was achieved by using an ancient method of bronze casting. The set's discovery sparked a heated debate: How could something so sophisticated have been created, two thousand years ago? The mystery was eventually solved by a member of the team that had excavated Marquis Yi's tomb. He spent twenty years making a full-scale replica using a technique called lost-wax casting. His name was Huang Jinzhou. 

Nobody else was trying it. I decided to try the lost wax method and see how it went.

HUANG JINZHOU "Lost Wax Craftsman I don't remember how many times I tried and failed. I started by making the rough shape using plaster. Then I carved this plaster model into a mold. Once it had set I could use it to make the wax mold. The plaster takes 24 hours to set Huang uses silica gel to make his mold. Other than this, the method is exactly the same as that employed by the ancient craftsmen. I'm amazed that our ancestors could develop this technique. 2,000 years ago they didn't have electricity, soldering irons or any such tools. It must have been incredibly difficult. Every time I finish a piece I'm in complete awe of our ancestors' skill."

Lacking proper tools to shape bronze, the ancient craftsmen instead made a mold from wax. The soft wax could be carved into any number of complex designs. The wax mold would be covered with three layers of quartz sand to create a hard outer shell. After two days, it would be fired. Then the process would enter the crucial phase. It's called the "lost wax" method because the wax is expelled, to leave the veins empty, for the bronze to fill. Slowly, the molten bronze flows into the network of hollow canals. Once it has hardened, the outer shell can be removed. Even using modern tools, it takes a whole month to create just a small part of the replica.

Huang Jinzhou's Replica Original, We can only marvel at the imagination and dedication needed to complete a masterpiece of such complexity, two thousand years ago. You have more new messages waiting.