Ceremonial Tube (Cong)
Unknown Artist
c. 1600–1056 BCE
Medium
jade (nephrite)
Dimensions
h. 20.6 cm
Classification
Jade
Department
Chinese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust
Accession Number
1915.630
About this artwork
The cong, a cylindrical tube with a square outer section, was one of the most impressive jade implements used in ancient rites. The ritual text Rites of Zhou mentions the use of the cong for the worship of the earth. However, its function and meaning in the earlier Neolithic societies are not completely understood.