The vessel's journey isn't just about the repatriation, but also a testament to the power of shared heritage in building bridges between cultures, said Brian Ferriso, director of the Portland Art Museum.

"Culture connects us across time and place. Objects such as this ancient bronze provide meaningful insight into Chinese culture. And this exchange itself serves as another opportunity to build bridges between China and the United States," said Ferriso.

The sentiment resonated with Zhang Jianmin, the Chinese consul general in San Francisco, who lauded the repatriation as an "important achievement of cultural exchanges" between the two nations.