In the Hunan Province of China, Professor George Mathers and his wife make an incredible discovery on Tianmen Mountain: artifacts that have survived centuries of rebellion and revolution. Could they alone substantiate the truth in many of China's deep-rooted myths? Back at their lab in Beijing, the couple and their research team work to decipher ancient writing on the objects, but their find becomes known to both Chinese and American authorities, plunging them into a complex web of intrigue.