Jadeology Episode 15: Decoding the Main Motif on Liangzhu Jade

If we consider the northeastern Hongshan culture as the father figure of Chinese civilization, then the Liangzhu culture could be seen as its mother. Emerging from the coastal areas around the mouth of the Yangtze River, the Liangzhu culture flourished approximately 5,000 to 4,000 years ago and lasted for nearly a millennium.

The Roots of Civilization

Liangzhu was an advanced, Neolithic, rice-based civilization. Archaeological discoveries have shown that the rice grains found at Liangzhu sites are strikingly similar to modern rice. The traditional farming method known as daogenghouzhong—burning old crop remnants to fertilize new ones—originated here and continues to be used in rural China today.

Liangzhu was first discovered in the 1930s in Zhejiang Province. The name “Liangzhu” (良渚) means “splendid oasis island,” an appropriate image for a society that thrived among lakes, rivers, and fertile delta lands. This was one of the earliest urban civilizations in human history. Archaeologists uncovered walled cities, palatial foundations, sophisticated hydraulic systems, rice fields, and hierarchical burial grounds—some tombs filled with magnificent jade, others only with pottery. These finds not only support the idea of China’s 5,000-year-old civilization but also offer a rare, full picture of its development.

The Heart of Liangzhu Culture: Jade

Along with rice, jade was central to Liangzhu culture. A vast quantity of jade artifacts was unearthed, and many of them bear a recurring visual motif that is key to understanding the civilization's worldview. If we wish to truly understand the Liangzhu people, we must decode the meaning behind this motif.

Although Liangzhu jade comes in many forms, three dominant motifs appear again and again—unchanged for nearly a thousand years:

1. The human deity face

2. The monster (or animal) face

3. The bird figure

Let’s explore each of these in detail.

1. The Human Deity Face

This is typically carved in low relief: a trapezoidal face with open eyes, visible pupils, a wide nose, and a mouth revealing neatly aligned teeth. Surrounding the face is a crown-like headdress, composed of finely incised circular patterns—each circle filled with hair or feather-like lines. This headdress was symbolic of "Qi," or life force, thought to be radiated from the Sun. It covers not only the head but the entire face down to the jaw, suggesting divine power.

Beneath the face are two arms, decorated with scales or circles, bent inward and holding a creature below. According to scholar Hayashi Minao, this figure represents the Sun God—an ancestor who became divine. His feathered crown symbolizes sunlight and Qi, blessing his descendants with harvest and protection.

2. The Monster Face (Totem Creature)

Often described as a "monster" or "tiger," this figure actually shares features with several animals. It has:

• Large oval eyes with raised pupils

• A wide nose, carved in relief

• A broad mouth, also raised

• Bent limbs with paws, and sometimes webbed feet

Some scholars identify this lower figure as a tiger. But I believe it more likely represents a cow, especially given the Liangzhu people's deep connection to agriculture. Cows have wide noses, round eyes, and herbivorous teeth—straight, not sharp like those of a predator. For a rice-farming society, wouldn’t a cow be more welcome than a tiger?

Interestingly, many Liangzhu jade carvings show the human deity face on top and the animal face below—two beings sharing one body. This composite creature was later known in Chinese art as the Taotie, a symbolic being meant to protect those inside and scare away outside threats. It is one of the most powerful totems in Chinese civilization, and its origins can be traced back to Liangzhu jade.

3. The Bird Figure

The bird motif appears less frequently but is deeply symbolic. Usually shown in profile with a circular eye and a body covered in curved lines, these birds are thought to be messengers of the Sun God. They carried life and spirit into the ancestors. According to Hayashi Minao, this motif originated in the earlier Hemudu culture and evolved into the bird-headed dragon of the Shang Dynasty.

Three-dimensional bird figures on Liangzhu jade are extremely rare. Their scarcity reflects the strict control of their symbolism, likely reserved for only the highest elites.

Aesthetic and Technical Mastery

Liangzhu jade artisans were masters of multi-layered relief. Their carvings often involved three distinct levels:

1. A base layer decorated with clouds or curved lines

2. A mid-relief of body or structure

3. A high-relief for features like eyes and nose

This approach directly influenced later Shang Dynasty bronzes. For example, the circular cloud patterns of Liangzhu evolved into square cloud motifs on Shang bronzes. The Taotie face, originally carved in jade, became the central motif of ritual bronze vessels.

Conclusion: Decoding a Lost Language

The Liangzhu main motif is not merely decorative—it is a coded language. A message left behind by a people who believed in balance, harmony, and the power of nature. They didn’t yet have a singular ruling god; they believed that each spirit—human, animal, bird—had its own divine force. And they created a visual system to reflect that belief.

If Hongshan culture planted the roots of Chinese civilization, then Liangzhu culture nurtured its growth. And through jade, they recorded their beliefs, fears, hopes, and hierarchy.

Liangzhu jade is not just ancient art. It is the spiritual DNA of Chinese identity.