Tube (cong 琮)

1. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Acquired by gift from Mrs. Eugene Meyer, Washington, D.C., and Mt. Kisco, New York. To be acknowledged as "Gift of Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer."

2. (Thomas Lawton, 1971) The following is taken from the entry in the Meyer Memorial Exhibition catalogue: "While the shapes of some Chinese ritual jades seem to have been derived from Neolithic stone implements, that of the tsung [cong] 琮appears to have been meant for ritual purposes from the very beginning. The unusual, nonfunctional form of the tsung [cong] 琮may possibly be explained by the relative lateness of its appearance; no Neolithic tsung [cong] 琮are known.

"Traditionally said to be symbolic of Earth, the tsung [cong] 琮is in the shape of a cylinder encased within a slightly shorter prism or cube. In early examples, there is a relatively thick section of jade between the central cylinder and the flat outer surfaces. As the central opening became increasingly larger in circumference, artisans began to curve the outer surfaces. Tsung [cong] 琮vary considerably in proportion, the longest examples now known measuring approximately 20 inches. The outer surfaces of this square, slightly tapering prism of brownish black nephrite are flat and unornamented. The four corners at each end of the tsung [cong] 琮are bevelled, thereby forming an octagonal collar. Several small unfinished areas suggest that the artisan conceived the form as somewhat larger than the jade available. The interior was drilled longitudinally from both sides, resulting in a slight ridge in the middle of the cylindrical hollow."
 
3. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 17, 2008) Ceremonial objects added as secondary classification.
 
4. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, April 20, 2010) Object name changed from "Cong琮" to "Ceremonial object." Title changed from "Cong 琮" to "Tube (cong 琮)."
 
5. (Jeffrey Smith per Janet Douglas, June 17, 2010) Nephrite added as modifier to existing medium of "jade" based on conservation analysis.

6. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, August 2, 2017) Title changed from "Tube (cong)" to "Tube (cong 琮)"; period one changed from "Shang dynasty" to "Probably late Neolithic period"; date changed from "ca. 1600-1050 BCE" to "ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE"; object name changed from "Ceremonial object" to "Tube".

7. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, July 27, 2018) Chinese translation added; description changed from "Square, slightly tapering prism of brownish black nephrite.  Drilled longitudinally from both sides leaving a smooth ridge in the middle" to "Tsung [cong] 琮. Square, slightly tapering prism of brownish black nephrite. Drilled longitudinally from both sides, leaving a smooth ridge in the middle."