This stone, which once solved the mysteries in the hearts of archaeologists, has now become popular on the internet due to its romantic expression and unique cultural value. Reporter from China News Service, Niu Lin.

As a mysterious means of conveying information, the message in a bottle has become a symbolic representation of cross-cultural communication during the age of sail. The bottle cast into the sea, with no knowledge of where it will drift or who will find it, is filled with unknowns, anticipation, and romance. The Zhongshan Kingdom's inscribed stone, which went viral online this year, has been dubbed by netizens as a "message in a bottle" from many years ago. What secrets are hidden in the brief characters inscribed on it? How did it "awaken" the "mysterious ancient kingdom" of Zhongshan, which had been slumbering for over two thousand years? Recently, China News Service's "East and West Questions" interviewed Liu Weihua, a senior researcher at the Hebei Museum.

On a certain date, Liu Weihua, a second-level researcher at the Hebei Museum, was interviewed by China News Service. China News Service reporter Zhai Yujia took the photo.

The following is a summary of the interview transcript:

Reporter from China News Service: Why is the Zhongshan State's "Shouqiu Carved Stone" referred to as a "message in a bottle" from many years ago? How were the mysterious inscriptions on it deciphered?

Liu Weihua: This is a natural river stone from the Warring States period, dating back many years. It measures approximately centimeters in length, centimeters in width, and centimeters in height. The surface is uneven and not smooth, and the shape is irregular, indicating that it was not deliberately selected or polished. Its preciousness lies in the fact that there are two lines of characters (including combined characters) carved on the stone surface, which is one of the earliest stone inscriptions discovered in China that records events and conveys greetings to future generations. This artifact, known as the Shouqiu Inscription (also called the Gongchengde Shouqiu Inscription), is currently on display at the Hebei Museum.

On a certain date, Liu Weihua, a second-level researcher at the Hebei Museum (left), introduced the Shouqiu Carved Stone to reporters from China News Service. Photo by reporter Zhai Yujia from China News Service.

The discovery and research process of the Shouqiu Inscription is quite legendary. In a certain year, Liu Ximei, a villager from Nanqiji Village, Sanji Township, Pingshan County, Hebei Province, was digging the ground for cultivation when he accidentally unearthed a large stone engraved with strange symbols. This seemingly ordinary stone did not attract much attention and was transported home by Liu Ximei, where it remained in the courtyard for years.

The archaeological excavation in the Sangji Township area of Pingshan County was underway. The seven tombs (numbered from 1 to 7) previously surveyed all had varying sizes of earthen mounds, suggesting they were large and high-status tombs. However, the initial excavation of tombs 1 to 4 revealed severe looting, leaving the archaeologists both disappointed and perplexed. At that time, a villager provided a clue to one of the team leaders, Researcher Chen Yingqi from the Hebei Institute of Cultural Relics (now the Hebei Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology): there was a large stone with inscriptions at the home of villager Liu Ximei. This marked the entry of the Shouqiu Inscribed Stone into the archaeologists' field of vision.

Faced with the ancient and mysterious text symbols on the stone, the archaeologists were baffled. They later copied the text and sent it to the renowned paleographer and historian Li Xueqin. After examining it, Li Xueqin replied that the characters could be deciphered, but first, he needed to ask a few questions: Were there any large mounds nearby where the stone was unearthed? Were there any rivers or lakes? Were there any mountains? After receiving affirmative responses, Li Xueqin interpreted the text as follows: "Jian Gu (监罟) You Chen Gong Cheng De Shou Qiu (尤臣公乘得守丘), Qi (丌) Jiu (臼) Jiang Man Gan Ye Hou Shu (将曼敢谒后尗) Xian Zhe (贤者)." The inscription appeared to be one character, but upon deciphering, it turned out to be multiple characters, as "Gong" (公) and "Cheng" (乘) were written as a single character, known as a compound character.

The character "罟" means net, specifically referring to a fishing net. "监罟" is a small official position responsible for supervising fishing. "尤" means fault or crime, and "尤臣" refers to a guilty official. "公乘" is a compound surname, and "公乘得" is a personal name, indicating that he refers to himself as a guilty official, likely demoted to the minor position of supervising fishing. "守丘" means guarding a tomb. "丌" is the same as "其", "臼" is pronounced as "旧", "曼" is a personal name, and "丌臼将曼" might be a general under Gongsheng De before his demotion. "谒" means "to inform" or "to tell", "尗" is pronounced as "淑", meaning good or virtuous, and "后尗贤者" refers to later virtuous and good people. The overall meaning is: The guilty official Gongsheng De, who supervises fishing, is here guarding the tomb, and his former general Man informs later virtuous and good people. In plain language, it reads: "The guilty official Gongsheng De, who is in charge of supervising fishing, and his former general Man, we are now guarding the king's tomb. Later generations of gentlemen, how are you doing?"

Hebei Museum's exhibition plaque of the rubbing of the Shouqiu inscription. Photo by reporter Zhai Yujia from China News Service.

This riverstone, like a "message in a bottle" from years past, has been "retrieved" by a fortunate person a millennium later. The inscriptions on it evoke a warmth that transcends the river of time, creating a sense of meeting face-to-face through the ages.

Reporter from China News Service: What information is revealed by the brief inscription on the Shouqiu stone tablet? How does this legendary He Guang stone open the historical gate to the "mysterious kingdom" of Zhongshan?

Liu Weihua: In this process of writing and reading, many years have passed. The Shouqiu Inscription has been very enlightening in the discovery of the State of Zhongshan during the Warring States period. Based on this, archaeologists also excavated the capital city site of the State of Zhongshan—the ancient Lingshou City.

"Hebei Pingshan Warring States Period Zhongshan King's Tomb" is one of the "Top 100 Archaeological Discoveries of the Century" in China. The Zhongshan State was established by the Bai Di Xian Yu tribe, a northern nomadic people. It is first clearly recorded in the "Spring and Autumn Annals" in the year BC and was destroyed in the year BC, experiencing two periods of rise and fall over more than two hundred years, with a tortuous national destiny. In the later period of the Zhongshan State, it moved its capital to the area of Sanji Township, Pingshan County, Hebei Province, reaching its peak and becoming the most powerful "thousand-chariot state" outside the Seven Hegemons, maneuvering between major powers like Yan and Zhao, and known as the "Eighth Hegemon of the Warring States." However, due to the fact that the rulers of the Zhongshan State were not descendants of the Zhou royal family and the state had a short history, with scarce historical records and its cultural relics and sites long buried underground, it has remained an "enigmatic kingdom" unknown to many for over two thousand years.

On the date, Liu Weihua, a second-level researcher at the Hebei Museum (left), introduced the situation of the State of Zhongshan during the Warring States period to reporters from China News Service. Photo by reporter Zhai Yujia from China News Service.

The appearance of the Shouqiu inscription has allowed archaeologists to see through the clouds. The deciphered text conveys rich information: Firstly, whose tomb would use a guardian? It certainly would not be an ordinary commoner's tomb; the status and rank of the tomb owner must be high. Moreover, the guardian refers to himself as "You Chen," meaning he was a subject of the ruler, and "Jiu Jiang Man" indicates his status should be that of a general. Based on this, archaeologists speculate that the tombs in the Sangji Township, Pingshan County, should be of the rank of princes or marquises. Additionally, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, most royal mausoleums of kingdoms were not far from the capital, which strengthened the archaeologists' determination to search for the "capital" in this area.

Under the guidance of the Shouqiu inscription, the State of Zhongshan emerged, and its treasures were revealed. The largest earthen tombs, known as Tomb No. 1 and Tomb No. 2, were confirmed through archaeological excavation to be the tombs of King Cuo of Zhongshan and Queen Ai. Particularly, King Cuo's tomb yielded numerous bronze artifacts inscribed with the characters "King of Zhongshan," which recorded important historical facts of the State of Zhongshan, confirming the royal lineage. Subsequently, based on the location of the royal tombs, archaeologists identified the site of the later capital of Zhongshan, the ancient city of Lingshou. The once enigmatic State of Zhongshan gradually revealed its true form, allowing people to glimpse the formidable power of Zhongshan and the unyielding spirit of the Warring States period.

Reporter from China News Service: Compared to the grand and majestic nature of the Chen Cang Stone Drum, what unique value does the "self-media" Shou Qiu Carved Stone possess?

Liu Weihua: The Chen Cang Stone Drums, officially produced by the Qin state during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, consist of ten drums, each shaped like a drum with a slender top and a thick bottom, slightly rounded at the top, weighing about a ton each. They are all engraved with "Stone Drum Inscriptions" (large seal script), which are the earliest stone inscriptions in China and the origin of seal script. The inscriptions are exquisitely carved, standardized, and rich in content, creating a miracle in the history of Chinese cultural relics. The authentic pieces are now housed in the Palace Museum.

The Shouqiu Inscription is not as grand and majestic as official engravings, with a more individualistic expression. Many years ago, two guardians of the royal tombs, during their time guarding the mound, lamented the passage of time. Perhaps one day, with nothing to do, they imagined the future and decided to greet future generations, so they inscribed their names and a greeting on the stone. Riverlight stones are common, but it is rare to find such a large riverlight stone with such unique text carved on it. The inscription is in small seal script, a script from the Warring States period, which is simple, cursive, and not very neat or standardized, with uneven spacing between characters, showcasing a natural and rustic charm.

This stone, which once solved the mysteries in the minds of archaeologists, has now gained popularity on the internet due to its romantic expression and unique cultural value. Through the inscriptions, one can glimpse some aspects of the society and cultural characteristics of the time, providing physical materials for the study of the capital design, official positions, and cultural aspects of the Zhongshan Kingdom.

The inscription on the stone guarding the tombs of the Zhongshan State (authentic). Photo provided by the Hebei Museum.

Reporter from China News Service: Is this "message in a bottle" from years ago a "greeting" or a "lesson"? Why is it said to be a unique form of romance exclusive to the Chinese?

Liu Weihua: The inscriptions on the Shouqiu stone are expressed very politely. "Gan" is a form of self-deprecation, and "ye" means "to pay a visit." The two individuals expressed their greetings and regards to future generations in a humble and reverent tone. These textual messages have traversed the long span of historical time to reach the present, becoming a form of communication and connection between the ancients and the modern.

In the Western tradition, the message in a bottle, carried by the bottle itself, is said to have been a means through which Poseidon, the sea god, could transmit his will to humans. Over time, the message in a bottle has come to symbolize adventure and romance. Similarly, the Shouqiu Keystone, drifting through the river of time to the present day, is also a form of information transmission, albeit with a different medium.

Part of the replica of the Shouqiu Inscription on display at Hebei Museum. Photo by Zhai Yujia, China News Service.

During the pre-Qin period, the autonomous consciousness of individual life had not yet fully awakened. In that era, it was extremely rare for two individuals who were not kings or nobles to spontaneously carve their names and deeds, and actively greet future generations, thus leaving a mark of life on the waves of time. In a certain sense, they had a certain awakening of self-consciousness, feeling the fleeting nature of the individual in the river of time, and looking forward to future generations from a perspective that transcends historical dimensions. This advanced concept of time and space is truly awe-inspiring.

In the long river of history, it is not only the kings, ministers, and generals who exist. Although the fates of small figures are often washed away without a trace, each individual is a vibrant life with their own vivid stories. Small figures reflect the grand era, and current historical research is increasingly focusing on social history, life history, and the fates of small figures. When people view cultural relics, they should not only focus on the relics themselves. Each relic is connected to the living fates of individuals, carrying once lively thoughts, emotions, and creative wisdom. Many bronze artifacts from the Zhongshan Kingdom are engraved with the names of craftsmen, with the original purpose being a supervisory measure known as "engraving the craftsman's name on the object to verify their sincerity." It is precisely because of this that later generations can remember those outstanding craftsmen who personally designed and created these splendid artifacts. As true creators, their names have traversed millennia with the exquisite artifacts, shining with eternal brilliance.

Interviewee Profile:*

Liu Weihua. Photo provided by interviewee.

刘卫华，梅西大学博物馆研究中心访问学者，河北博物院社会教育部主任、二级研究员，河北省博物馆学会理事长，河北省政府特殊津贴专家，河北省第十四届人大常委会专家顾问团成员。发表有关博物馆学、战国中山国研究中英论文70余篇，“百家讲坛”《神秘中山国》主讲，专题片《中山国》《王厝时代》等特邀专家，出版专著《博物馆文化构建与传播》，主编《博物馆里的动物世界》获河北省优秀科普读物奖，专著《文物审美概论》《王厝时代》获河北省社会科学优秀成果奖。

Title: "Liu Weihua: Decoding the Mysterious Guarding-the-Hill Inscription from Over Two Thousand Years Ago - East and West Questions" Text Editor: Xu Huangguan Photo Editor: Cui Chuqiao Layout: Han Jiaojiao Review: Wei Yuan Editor: Song Fangcan

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