Jade Cong King emblematic of Liangzhu Culture

Let’s look at another treasure from the Zhejiang Provincial Museum! Unearthed from the Liangzhu Ruins in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, the 8.9-centimeter-high and 6,500-gram jade cong is the largest and heaviest jade cong unearthed there so far. Its four sides and corners are neatly and vividly carved in relief with symmetrical motifs of human and animal faces. It is emblematic of Liangzhu Culture, which flourished back in the late Neolithic Period in the Qiantang River Basin.

The jade cong was a ritual object. However, academics aren’t sure exactly what it was used for. A medium connecting humans with the gods or a ritual object used for offering sacrifices are two possible explanations.