Neolithic Chinese XLG Jade Cong with Taotie & Dragon

Heaven, Earth, and Man Three-Layer Cong

Incised Taotie & Dragon Pictographs/Images

Six Character Cursive Inscription

Liangzhu Culture: Late Neolithic Period

c. 3300—2250 B.C.E.

SUMMARY

Chinese experts estimate that this ritual amulet was made during the Liangzhu Culture of ancient China about 5,000 years ago!  Cut from a single piece of dark, olive-green, nephrite jade and carved with four sides, this ritual Neolithic Heaven & Earth Amulet (called a “Cong” in China) measures approximately:

·       Weight: 1.42 lb. (646gr.)

·       Height: 6.76” (172 mm)

·       Width:  1.72” (44 mm)

·       Hole Diameter:  .482” (12 mm)

This extra-large, finely carved, and polished, Neolithic Chinese Amulet is made of pure, Nephrite Jade that weighs about 1.42 lb. (646gr.) and 6.7" (170mm) tall.  The once green jade has turned a wonderful shade of dark brown with orange highlights from the iron in the soil that has been absorbed into the jade.

Chinese experts estimate that it was made during the Liangzhu Culture of ancient China about 5,000 years ago!  When this jade cong was professionally cleaned in China to remove excessive weathering, it exposed six, ancient Liangzhu characters in cursive script that were incised into the center section of the cong, on two opposing sides.  The characters are in two columns of three characters in each column.  I am not able to translate Liangzhu cursive script, but it is likely an offering and prayer to the Ancestors to allow the soul of the departed to enter Heaven.  (See photos #4 & 5)

The four, square sides of the cong are meant to represent the Earth, while the center hole represents Heaven, “Ti’en” or “Tian” in Chinese.  The two round circles on each side represent the eyes of Ancestors who are watching as this item was offered to them by the son of the departed father/grandfather. 

DETAILS

This ancient, ceremonial jade item is called a “Cong” in China.  It dates to the China’s Neolithic period, the Liangzhu Culture, in the 3^rd millennium BCE.  

Jade was highly prized by these early civilizations in China, and it was thought to have positive energy to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune to all who wore a piece on their person--in life and in death.  The production of jade items was completely controlled by the powerful warlords that ruled ancient China millennia ago.  Jade was also believed to be a portal or messenger that could carry prayers to Heaven and send messages to those on Earth from departed ancestors and Gods in Heaven.

This large, thick-walled cong is carved and shaped with four equal sides and with a collar on both the top and bottom.  The four-sided cong has three registers on each side with parallel lines separating each register.  On each side, there are a pair of incised, circular eyes that represent those of the Ancestors.  The once green jade is now opaque and of mottled brown color with areas of orange highlights from the iron in the soil.

This cong has the period correct “uniform bore hole” in the center that measures .474" (12 mm) in diameter at the top.  The hole was drilled by hand tools from both ends of the cong and the holes are not perfectly inline in the center—another indication that it was drilled by hand with ancient tools.

This central hole was seen as a window to the Heavens, and therefore to the Ancestors and Gods (“Shên” in Chinese).  It was drilled from both sides with a slow-speed drill, as evidenced by the ridge and narrowing of the hole that is visible inside the aperture.  This is the typical, hole-drilling method used for Neolithic jades.  It is period correct and shows the growth of tiny micro-crystals of jade inside the bore holes that can only happen after a piece of carved jade has been buried for thousands of years.  These tiny crystals almost look like white powder and should never be cleaned off or removed.  This hole was made so a person could attach the pendant/bead around his neck or to his waist. {See macro photos 5-6}

In ancient China, this amulet would have been placed in the tomb or temple of the departed by his family to protect him or her from evil spirits on his journey to the afterlife and to allow him/her to enter Heaven (Tian).  It would also show the ancestors and spirits that he was a wealthy and honorable person and that he had Mandarins that could speak to the Heavens for him.

The Immortal Mythical Beast—Taotie

Located at the center section of this cong is the image of the Taotie, a fierce, mythical creature that was thought to scare away evil spirits.  He is prominently featured on the center section on two opposite sides of the four-sided cong. (see macro photos), His vertical nose in the center separates his  two, large circular eyes, and a rectangle shaped mouth that is ready to devour any Evil Spirits that might prevent the soul of this man from reaching his ancestors in Heaven.

His oversized round eyes and horizontal mouth have been incised into the hard jade with the finest of cut lines and are utterly amazing.  Some experts suggest that a diamond or even an iron meteorite awl was used by the Neolithic stone masons to make these ultra-thin cut lines, as Neolithic cultures did not have iron tools to incise the extremely hard jade. 

The pendant appears to have several pictograms that were painted in black, mineral pigment colors onto the highly-polished surface of the old sage when it was made and dedicated to him millennia ago.  However, the pictograms have faded or blurred, and I cannot see the images clearly enough to identify and to translate them.

As noted above, this cong has a vertical hole in the center of the cong that was drilled by hand from both sides.   Archaeologists classify these holes as “uniform bore holes,” which were one of the common types of holes made during the Liangzhu Culture.  It was necessary to drill from both sides with a hollow, bamboo tube that would be dipped into abrasive and then rotated rapidly against the stone to affect a ring-form type of hole, leaving the solid core intact.  Therefore, the meeting place of the two borings is not true to a single, straight channel and a curved remnant ridge that is not ground or polished-out remains at the common junction.  The center core was often snapped off by tapping or pushing the center core to one side and thus completing the long hole. 

Then entire pendant is defined by precise incision lines and plain modeling, with a slightly convex shape on the front and a flat side on the back.  It presents a powerful image of protection in the afterlife and one meant only for the royal class.

RITUAL OFFERINGS

This ritual, jade cong is believed to have been a precious religious and/or ceremonial object that was offered as a sacrifice to the Ancestors of the deceased in hopes that they would guide the soul of the deceased into eternal life in Heaven.  Jade artifacts like this one were often buried in tombs next to the heads of the deceased royal king/warlord.

The "Shu Ching" says it is one of the instruments used by court astronomers to observe the constellations and that this jade cong was used to contact the Ancestors in Heaven to influence the lives of those on Earth.

There are several very small Chinese characters that were painted on the sides of the cong.  This cong served as an oracle or portal to one’s Ancestors in Heaven, in Chinese “Ti’en.”  This amazing jade cong also features three, deep parallel lines on each side of the cong that symbolize “Heaven, Earth, and Man.” 

Because of its large size, this stunning cong would only have been a gift to the Ancestors from a very wealthy and powerful ruler in ancient China.  Such ritual gifts or sacrifices were left in the tombs of the departed or at shrines or temples on the surface near the tomb.  The size and numbers of jades that were made for the various upper classes did matter, and both elements were carefully dictated by the ruling warlords and emperors for their dukes, princes, and generals. 

The ancient Chinese believed that such gifts would please the Ancestors, who could affect events in Heaven and on Earth, and protect them from Evil Spirits and Demons (“Kuei” in Chinese) who were thought to inhabit both worlds.

English Translation Of Chinese Pictographs

When this jade cong was professionally cleaned in China to remove excessive weathering, it exposed six, ancient Liangzhu characters in cursive script that were incised into the center section of the cong, on two opposing sides.  The characters are in two columns of three characters in each column.  I am not able to translate Liangzhu cursive script, but it is likely an offering and prayer to the Ancestors to allow the soul of the departed to enter Heaven. 

This lovely amulet contains two, circular eyes on each side of the square cong that have been incorporated into the design of this amulet.  These are the eyes of the Ancestors that are looking with benevolence upon the offerings that the Sons of the departed have provided them. 

This cong has three levels and the number “3” (in Chinese “San”) has always been considered lucky, as historically it represented “Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.”  The three levels also suggest the clan has been under the rule of the warlord /king for three years.

·       Confucius said: ‘Three people are walking together; at least one of them is good enough to be my teacher.’

·       A Chinese proverb goes that “The wisdom of three ordinary people exceeds that of the wisest individual.” Here, the number ‘three’ means not only the exact number, but also ‘many’ abstractly.

Moreover, the number ‘Three’ has its origin in Confucianism and Taoism.  It stands for Heaven, Earth, and Human being; philosophically, ‘Tao’ means the amiableness among the above three elements.  In Chinese tradition, the phrase ‘San Huang Wu Di’ (Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns) generally refers to all emperors of ancient China.  Besides, much wider uses of this number can be found in Chinese culture, concerning proverbs, history, and common sense.

This configuration represents the power of jade and of this jade cong to transport the soul of the departed safely from Earth to the Heavens and eternal life.

On the top collar, there is the faint image of a Fire-Breathing Dragon that is meant to signify a warlord or king in ancient times.  His body continues around the center hole and upon his back is the image of the departed man’s soul depicted lying on his back in his tomb as the Dragon carries him into the Heavens. 

Dragon Symbolism in China

In China, the Dragon (in Chinese “Long”) has for millennia been the symbol of the Emperor, the Son of Heaven, eternity, Yang and Yin, as well as for male vigor and fertility.  The Dragon is considered as one of the 12 Ornaments and one of the most complex and multi-tiered Chinese symbols. The Chinese dragon can fiercely protect one from Evil Spirits and harm.

The nine major characteristics of a lung-type dragon include a camel-like head, deer-like horns, hare-like eyes, bull-like ears, an iguana-like neck, a frog-like belly, carp-like scales, tiger-like paws and eagle-like claws.  This bronze dragon has a pair of large canine teeth and long, tendril-like whiskers extending from either side of its mouth that were thought to be used for feeling its way along the bottom of muddy ponds.

In China, the dragon is credited with having great powers that allowed it to make rain and control floods by striking the river with its mighty tail, for example. Dragons are also revered for their ability to transport humans to the celestial realms after death. They are symbols of the natural world, adaptability, and transformation to immortal status. When two dragons are placed together in opposite directions, they symbolize eternity, i.e., the famous Yin-Yang symbol.

Chinese emperors literally thought they were the real dragons and Sons of Heaven. Thus, the beds they slept on are called "dragon beds;" the throne, a "dragon seat;" and the emperor's ceremonial dresses are known as "dragon robes."

In the minds of the early Chinese people, the dragon was a god that embodied the will and ideals of the Chinese people. It is said that the dragon is a large-scaled reptile, which can become dark or bright, large or small, long or short, and fly into the sky in the spring and live underwater in the fall.  It seems that the dragon is capable of doing almost anything.

Traditionally, the dragons were considered the governors of rainfalls in Chinese culture. They had the power to decide where and when it would rain. They also believed kings of water dragons lived in dragon palaces under the ocean. The Chinese sign for the dragon appeared during the Yin and Shang dynasties (16th-11th century BC -- the period of the earliest Chinese hieroglyphs), between inscriptions on bones and turtle shields. The inscriptions depicted a horned reptile, with teeth, scales and sometimes even claws.

In ancient China, nobody had any doubt about the existence of dragons. People showed great respect for any depictions of dragons -- in paintings, carvings and writings. As a result, the dragon became the symbol of the Chinese nation. All people in China, including the emperor, prostrated themselves before the image of a dragon with reverence and awe. As a result, this fictional creature became the spiritual sustenance for the nation first as the totem of a tribe and then as the symbol of the nation. Eventually, the dragon became the symbol on the national flag of the last feudal dynasty, the Qing Dynasty. The Chinese people considered themselves the descendants of the dragon.

CONDITION

All sides of the jade cong show similar signs of wear and differential weathering, accurate signs of being buried in the damp soil of China for over 5,000 years.  And look at the fantastic coloration of the once green nephrite jade that has turned a wonderful color of saddle brown from the iron and other elements and minerals in the soil that have absorbed into the porous jade over 5,000 years. 

As noted above, the cong has been professionally cleaned in China to show the beauty of the jade and to expose the very tiny characters that had been carved into it.  This cong is a stunning, museum quality example of Neolithic Chinese art that displays magnificently and would look great in your collection!

The jade cong has a single, bore hole that was drilled by ancient hand tools from both sides of the amulet--see 10x macro photos.  It is period correct and has a wonderful layer of calcium and micro-crystalline jade inside the bore holes—just perfect. 

I have examined this piece under 10x and 80x magnification and it shows no signs of modern tool marks--only hand tools were used to make this amulet.  It has been cut, incised, shaped, and drilled with ancient hand tools.  I also examined it under Black Light and found no signs of repairs or modern carving.  Modern tools would have drilled the hole straight and true—and not larger on the outer edge of the hole and curved in the middle.  Thus, these ancient, drilled holes are another sign that this amulet is original and authentic.

Its beauty and attention to detail is remarkable! This ancient Amulet is a fine work of art and it is truly museum quality. 

AUTHENTICATION

I have carefully examined this item under magnification, and it shows authentic and original signs of weathering, calcium deposits, and ground contact that help to further authenticate it as an ancient piece.  I also examined it under Black Light and found no signs of repairs or restorations.

Using the experience and knowledge that I have gained from over 50 years of examining and collecting Chinese artifacts, I certify that the above described and pictured item is original and authentic, with a lovely patina that is consistent with its age.

NOTE:  This object is unconditionally guaranteed authentic. It has been legally imported to the United States years ago and is legal to sell and own under U.S. Statute Title 19, Chapter 14, Code 2611, Convention on Cultural Property.