Family and Ancestors

In China's Greatest Treasures, BBC art critic, Alastair Sooke travels through modern day China to discover that much of what defines Chinese culture today can be traced back through thousands of years to some of China's most spectacular historic artefacts housed in museum collections across the country. In this first episode, Alastair travels from China's bustling mega-city, Shanghai on the east coast, to the remote village of Baogai, in the south to explore one of the most important aspects of Chinese life, the family. Alastair is given extraordinary access to a treasure-trove of ancient art, inspired by and fundamental to, family life. He is granted exclusive access to one of the countries most celebrated artefacts, a giant, 3000-year-old bronze cauldron used to prepare ritual sacrifices to important ancestors. He also takes part in a, 'tomb sweeping festival', where family members issue a yearly report to their departed loved ones. Finally, Alastair receives an invite to one of the most sacred family occasions in China, a wedding!