Between 221 BC and 200 AD, China's Qin and Han empires united warring principalities under a common emperor, creating a stable foundation for Chinese art, culture, and national identity that has lasted over two millennia. Examining this fertile era in detail, these 150 works from across the full range of Chinese artistic and decorative media include ceramics, metalwork, textiles, armor, sculpture, and jewelry, plus soldiers from the renowned terracotta army of Qin Shihuang, China's first emperor. In the text, Metropolitan Museum of Art curator Zhixin Sun addresses the sweeping societal changes, and traces how they manifested themselves in the arts.