The principle of movable type, used for casting inscriptions on bronze artifacts, has a long history in ancient China. Around 1925, artifacts from the Eastern Zhou period (seventh century BC) were discovered in Gansu Province. Among these artifacts was a bronze food container, the Qin Gong Gui, which features a 50-character inscription. Rubbings of this inscription reveal that each character was individually carved into templates, as the boundary lines where characters connect to each other are distinct.