"We will also remember and cherish the friendship of our American friends who have made this return possible," said Zhang, who presented King and his mother a certificate of donation for their generosity.

For King, the return wasn't a grand gesture, but a simple act of righting a wrong. "I don't think it's really ours to donate," he told China Daily. "I feel great that it's going to where it belongs. Maybe one day it'd be nice to visit the museum (where the relic is housed in China)."

Wang Kaihao in Beijing contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at liazhu@chinadailyusa.com