Cylinder thumbnail 1
Cylinder thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
China, Room 44, The T.T. Tsui Gallery

Cylinder

ca. 3200 BC-2200 BC (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A ‘cong’ is a jade cylinder that is square on the outside with a round perforation in the middle. The outside walls are usually divided into sections by horizontal cuts in the four corners. The height of ‘cong’ varies drastically, ranging from 49 cm to a mere 3 cm. Tall ‘cong’ were definitely more difficult to make than short ones.

An ancient Chinese text called ‘Zhouli’ ('Rites of Zhou') states that the ‘cong’ was used as a sacrifice to the Earth. Archaeology has revealed that it served a ritual function in Neolithic times.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Nephrite jade
Brief description
Cylinder (cong)
Physical description
Opaque brown. A cong of 17 sections, drilled from both ends, the meeting point in the middle is no more than 3cm in diameter.
Dimensions
  • Height: 40.3cm
Style
Gallery label
Tube (cong) Stone Age About 2500 BC A cong is square in section with a round hole bored through its centre. Carved nephrite jade Liangzhu culture, south China Museum no. A.40-1936(2007)
Credit line
Purchased with Art Fund support, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee
Production
Liangzhu culture
Summary
A ‘cong’ is a jade cylinder that is square on the outside with a round perforation in the middle. The outside walls are usually divided into sections by horizontal cuts in the four corners. The height of ‘cong’ varies drastically, ranging from 49 cm to a mere 3 cm. Tall ‘cong’ were definitely more difficult to make than short ones.

An ancient Chinese text called ‘Zhouli’ ('Rites of Zhou') states that the ‘cong’ was used as a sacrifice to the Earth. Archaeology has revealed that it served a ritual function in Neolithic times.
Bibliographic references
  • Rose Kerr, Chinese Art and Design, London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1991, nr.6.
  • Ming Wilson, 'Liangzhu Jades Rediscovered' in Oriental Art, Winter 1995/96, pp.2-8.
Collection
Accession number
A.40-1936

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Record createdMay 9, 2000
Record URL
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