Excavated in Chencang District of Baoji, Shaanxi during the Daoguang era (1821–1851) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), it is on display in the National Museum of China in Beijing.

The Guoji Zibai pan, the San Family Plate (散氏盤), and the Mao Gong ding, are known as the "Three Important Bronzewares of the Western Zhou dynasty".

On each wall outside of the plate, there are two beast heads with rings in the mouths, and decorative patterns in the shape of ware band.

[4] According to the inscription on the plate, in the 12 year of King Xuan of Zhou, also the year of 816 BC, Guoji Zibai was appointed by King Xuan to lead the army to battle with the nomadic tribe Xianyun in the north shore of Luo River, and gained a complete victory, killing 500 enemies and taking 50 as prisonners.

Guoji Zibai specially cast the bronze ware to memorize the military operation and honor.

According to Prefecture Records of Luzhou (《庐州府志》), the Guoji Zibai pan was unearthed at Guochuansi of Baoji, Shaanxi, in the Daoguang period (1821–1851) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911).

Xu Xiejun (徐燮钧), the then magistrate of Mei County, purchased the plate for 5,000-gram (180 oz) silver from a local peasant.

One night when reading a book under the oil lamp, Liu heard clear metal clanks from out of the window.

Liu was so curious that he bent to look carefully with the lantern, and found the manger wide and deep with fuzzy decorative patterns on its four sides.

Liu specially invited Huang Congmo (黄从默; 黃從默), who was familiar with ancient Chinese characters, to help him research the bronze ware.

Weng Tonghe (1830–1904), a collector and teacher of the Guangxu Emperor, wanted to buy the plate but Liu refused.

In 1885, he was appointed as the first provincial governor of Taiwan by the Qing Dynasty government, a position he held for almost ten years until his retirement.

After occupying Hefei, the Japanese army set a stronghold less than 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) away from the Liu Family's residence.

Liu Suzeng answered immediately that they did not have any treasures and if they did, they did not want to be unworthy descendants or the bad apples and traitors of the country to sell it to foreigners.

In order to avoid danger, the Liu Family moved to other places with some personal belongings that night to seek asylum for a while.

Wu Guichang (吴桂长; 吳桂長), chief of the CPC Feixi County Committee, heard the news that the Guoji Zibai pan was being preserved in the Liu Family.

Guo Chongyi (郭崇毅), a local member of the Chinese Democratic League, came to Liu's home with a document from the Central Government.

After reading the document and talking with Guo Chongyi, Liu Suzeng decided to donate the treasure to the country along with a bronze drum of the Three Kingdoms period (220–280) together.