Round inside and square outside-The shape characteristics of jade cong in Liangzhu period and the material construction of spiritual universe

Abstract

This paper takes the jade cong from the late Neolithic period of China's Liangzhu era (approximately 3300 BC – 2300 BC) as the core research object, focusing on its unique and iconic "round inside, square outside" modeling paradigm. The study aims to go beyond mere typological descriptions and delve into how this form serves as a highly condensed "material symbol," systematically responding to and shaping the spiritual needs and cosmic cognition of ancient ancestors. By integrating archaeological materials, artifact morphology analysis, and cultural symbolism theory, it can be argued that the modeling of jade cong is not an accidental outcome of craftsmanship or aesthetics, but rather a meticulously designed sacred medium to connect different levels of order. The article will sequentially explore five key concepts— "physical-symbolic mediation,"  "clan order,"  "three-dimensional cosmic model,"  "ritual practice," and "civilizational genes" —to elucidate how jade cong, through its specific geometric forms, communicates heaven and earth, gods and humans, life and death at the symbolic level; marks power and kinship hierarchy at the social level; solidifies the cosmic schema of "round heaven and square earth" at the conceptual level; disciplines ritual behaviors at the practical level; and ultimately becomes a foundational material carrier of the core spiritual traits of early Chinese civilization.