琮 (cóng) - Cong — a type of ancient Chinese jade

琮Tone 2

cóng ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

琮 · cóng

Cong — a type of ancient Chinese jade ritual vessel, typically a hollow tube with a circular inner section and square outer section, used in ceremonial contexts.

Cong — a type of ancient Chinese jade

Usage highlights

Jade congCong tubeLiangzhu congRitual congSquare congCong shape

Synonyms

  • 玉璧— Bi — a flat jade disc with a circular hole, another ritual jade type
  • 礼玉— Ritual jade

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The jade cong was used in ancient rituals (玉琮).
  • Archaeologists unearthed a Liangzhu culture cong (良渚文化玉琮).
  • The cong symbolizes the earth with its square shape (琮象征大地).
  • Ritual objects like the cong were buried with nobles (随葬品如琮).

Collocations

  • Jade cong(玉琮)
  • Cong tube(琮管)
  • Liangzhu cong(良渚琮)
  • Ritual cong(礼琮)
  • Square cong(方琮)
  • Cong shape(琮形)

Idioms

  • No specific idioms featuring 琮 are widely recognized; it is primarily an archaeological/art historical term.

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The cong is a key artifact from the Neolithic Liangzhu culture (c. 3400–2250 BCE), representing advanced jade working.
  • Its form (circle within square) is thought to symbolize the ancient Chinese worldview: round heaven and square earth.
  • Cong were used in rituals, possibly for communication with deities or ancestors, and were status symbols for elites.

FAQ