He zun

The He zun stands 38.8 centimeters tall with a diameter of 28.8 centimeters and contains 122 inscribed Chinese characters across 12 rows inside.

Created between 1038 and 1000 BCE during the Western Zhou Dynasty, this bronze vessel documents the establishment of a royal residence under King Cheng's rule.

The inscriptions on the He zun present the earliest known written reference to 'Middle Kingdom' and include the character for 'virtue' in Chinese history.

The He zun remains permanently displayed at the Baoji Bronzeware Museum in Shaanxi Province, where visitors can examine this ancient ceremonial wine container.

Found in 1963 by a local family who initially used it for food storage, the vessel was later identified at a waste center and transferred to museum protection.

GPS coordinates: 34.36300,107.23800

Latest update: May 14, 2025 04:03