Interpretation of the Cultural Materiality in Lingjiatan Jade Artifact Design

As a core cultural carrier in the late Neolithic period of the lower Yangtze River region, Lingjiatan jade artifacts reveal the profound interplay between material culture and social significance through the synergistic mechanism of “material-process-function.” Based on the theory of “cultural materiality”, this paper analyzes the jade wares of Lingjiatan from three dimensions: technology, symbol, and communication. Technologically, the development of tremolite jade materials and the innovation of tube drilling techniques restructured the cultural genes of the Beiyangying culture, promoting specialized production and cross-basin trade. Symbolically, the shape differences of jade axes and jade pendants correspond to the symbolization of tomb grades, and the solidification of ritual combinations reinforces the power-religion-hierarchical system. In terms of communication, Lingjiatan radiated to Xuejiagang and Liangzhu cultures through the mechanism of “technological adaptation - symbolic transformation”, verifying the dynamic adjustment logic of cross-regional interaction.