XI'AN, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) -- The enthusiastic audience tiptoed and craned their neck eagerly in front of an exquisite bronze vessel, hoping to catch a glimpse of the inscription on its bottom interior.

This 122-character inscription, written in pictographic script, captures an article dating back over 3,000 years. Within it lies the earliest known written record of the term "Zhongguo," the Chinese characters for "China."

Housed in the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum in northwestern China, at the west end of the Guanzhong Plain -- once the heartland of ancient China -- the bronze vessel basking in the gaze is known as "He Zun."

The rare bronze ritual wine vessel, from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046-771 BC), is named after its owner, "He," a nobleman who likely lived during the early years of the dynasty. The term "Zun" refers to the specific type of bronze vessel used for storing wine in ceremonial rituals.

Neither He nor the craftsman may have imagined the word etched into their vessel's inner bottom would be a link to the origins of one of the world's longest-standing civilizations.

After three millennia, the vessel serves as a profound symbol of identity, pride, and the enduring spirit of Chinese civilization that stretches back thousands of years and continues to inspire today.

He Zun was unearthed in 1963 in Baoji, an area once important to the Zhou Dynasty and home to a rich archeological heritage. Since then, it has become one of the most prized items in the museum's collection, and one of China's first batch of cultural relics prohibited from being exhibited abroad.

It stands 38.5 cm tall and weighs 14.6 kg. With stately design and intricate and ornate decorations, the belly of the vessel is adorned with a beast face motif, featuring large, curled horns extending outward, creating a dynamic sense of the beast leaping forward as if about to devour its prey.

For archeologists, not only did it reveal the advanced metallurgical skills of the Zhou Dynasty, but its inscription fundamentally reshaped the understanding of the term "Zhongguo" and its historical roots and became a powerful reminder of the enduring legacy of the Chinese civilization.

According to Zhai Huiping, the museum's deputy director, the inscribed characters are arranged in 12 lines, marking a significant historical event of King Cheng of Zhou founding the city of Chengzhou. The inscription bears the phrase, "zhai zi Zhongguo, zi zi yi min," which translates to "I will dwell in the center of the country and govern the people."

At that time, "Zhongguo" symbolized a geographical center. The use of the word not only represents the Zhou Dynasty rulers' governance concept but also marks a key point in the formation and development of the early concept of "China," said Zhai.

Both "zhong" and "guo" originally appeared as pictographic characters. "Zhong" symbolized a flag waving at the center of tribal territory, while "guo" represented a city inhabited by people and guarded by soldiers. In the early Chinese writing systems, such as the oracle bone script, these two characters existed independently.

However, it was in the inscription of the He Zun that the two first appeared together as a phrase, marking the earliest known written form of "Zhongguo" as a compound term.

Since the establishment of a unified, multi-ethnic state during the Qin and Han dynasties (221 BC-220 AD), the meaning of the term "Zhongguo" has continually evolved. It was not until the late Qing Dynasty that "Zhongguo" was officially used as the country's name.

Xu Weihong, a researcher at the Shaanxi provincial archeological research institute, said that the term "Zhongguo" reflects a central concept, "to dwell at the center and govern the surrounding lands."

"In Chinese civilization, the idea of center has always been prominent. He Zun serves as a representative artifact, embodying this core ideology. It reflects a sense of unity and a deep confidence in both the nation's identity and its culture," Xu added.

Over the course of more than 3,000 years, the term "Zhongguo" gradually transcended its original geographic connotation, consistently symbolizing the cohesion and unifying spirit of the Chinese nation.

He Zun's influence doesn't end with the past. Its graceful curves and symbolic design continue to inspire modern creations. In 2022, during the Beijing Winter Olympics, the world witnessed a fusion of tradition and innovation when the Olympic cauldron's design drew inspiration from He Zun. The cauldron's structure, with its swirling cloud motifs transitioning into snowflakes, echoed the vessel's shape and embodied its design concept.

A year later, He Zun reappeared in the realm of diplomacy. At the first China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, He Zun souvenirs were presented as diplomatic gifts to Central Asian leaders, symbolizing the enduring friendship and cultural connection between nations.

"From ancient dynasties to modern China, He Zun has become a tangible testament to the historical trajectory of Chinese civilization. It witnessed the evolution of the term 'Zhongguo' into a living narrative of the nation's and its people's development," said Zhai.