<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><mads xmlns="http://www.loc.gov/mads/" xmlns:mods="http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.loc.gov/mads/
mads.xsd"><authority><topic authority="http://AATesaurus.cultura.gencat.cat/aat/getty_en">cong</topic></authority><related type="other"><topic>bi</topic></related><related type="broader"><topic>vessels</topic></related><related type="broader"><topic>funerary sculpture</topic></related><variant type="other"><topic>cong tubes</topic></variant><variant type="other"><topic>zong</topic></variant> <note xml:lang="en"><![CDATA[ Late Neolithic Chinese jade or stone tubes having a squared exterior surface and a round, hollow interior. They are usually decorated at the corners with facial features, sometimes abbreviated to concentric circles or eye-like shapes, and embellished with incised horizontal bars on the planar surfaces. An ancient Chinese text called 'The Rites of Zhou' states that the cong was used as a sacrifice to the earth. Symbolic meaning may be a counterpart to that of the "bi (ceremonial object)," which represented the heavens. Similar vessels may date to later periods.  ]]></note></mads>