We'll begin with arguably the most famous ancient Chinese invention ... if one included artistic expressions like cave paintings as a form of written language. Once language began to develop ...

the paintings present scenes of the 24 solar terms in Northeast China and depict Chinese farmers with vitality and charm. More than 2,000 years ago, ancient Chinese people created this framework ...

In a time when she couldn't visit her family in China, writer Yao Xiao visited the Met—and one painting in particular—once a week. What she learned was as much about herself as the history.