Ancient Bronzeware: In the Name of China

Today we discuss how the Chinese characters for “China”, Zhongguo, literally meaning Middle Kingdom, appears for the first time more than 3,000 years ago. He Zun, the most eye-catching and prominent example of bronzeware from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BCE) holds the key to the question. 

In 1963, a farmer in the city of Baoji, Shaanxi Province, discovered the vessel at a cliff near his home on a rainy evening. The artifact, about one cubic meter in volume, was sticking out from the soil. Unaware of its value and importance, the farmer used it for storing food. Because the vessel was too heavy and inconvenient to carry, he gave it to another farmer when he moved away. Two years later, the new owner sold it to a waste recycling station after encountering financial difficulties.