Chengdu has a rich and complex history of foundation that spans several millennia, with its official establishment as a city typically dated to the 4th century BC. According to historical records, the ninth king of the ancient Kaiming dynasty of the Shu Kingdom moved his capital to the present-day site around 311 BC, famously naming it Chengdu based on the philosophy that it takes one year to become a town, two years to become a city, and three years to become a capital. Shortly after, in 316 BC, the State of Qin conquered the Shu Kingdom and further formalized the city’s administrative structure, building it to resemble their own capital, Xianyang. However, archaeological discoveries at the Jinsha and Sanxingdui sites have revealed that the region was a major center of civilization much earlier, with evidence of a sophisticated bronze-age culture inhabiting the area as far back as 3,000 to 4,500 years ago. Remarkably, Chengdu is celebrated as one of the few major cities in the world to have maintained its name and location unchanged for over 2,300 years.