The name Chengdu (成都) is most commonly interpreted to mean "become a capital," derived from the Chinese words "cheng" (to become) and "du" (metropolis or capital). According to a widely cited 10th-century historical account, the ninth king of the Kaiming dynasty moved his capital to the site in the 4th century BC, inspired by a description of King Tai of Zhou's successful settlement: "it took one year to become a town, two years to become a city, and three years to become a capital." While some modern scholars suggest the name may have originated as a phonetic transliteration from the earlier non-Han Shu language, the "become a capital" etymology remains the most traditional explanation for a city that has remarkably maintained both its name and location for over 2,300 years.