China Focus: Millennia-old bronze vessel exposes origin of "China"

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