The story our mirror can now tell is about lovers and poets, court women and goddesses, priests and emperors. Our mirror is no exception, it's only in the in the last year that we've found out exactly where it came from, and what that new information tells us about the Japan of eight hundred years ago. And, as we all know only too well, historical truth is a shifting thing, not least because objects are constantly yielding up new knowledge. I hope it's not too fanciful to make the same claim for the mirror in this programme, which was made at about the same time, although - as always with mirrors - we can't necessarily trust what we think we see. That last quote is from a famous Japanese history called 'The Great Mirror' written around 1100, in which the mirror not only has a voice, but the power to reveal Japan to itself. You should think, as you listen to me, that you are hearing the 'Chronicles of Japan'." I am going to discuss serious matters now. "I am a plain old-fashioned mirror from a bygone age, made of good white metal that stays clear without being polished. In the Buddhist and Taoist rituals bronze mirrors were with its light-reflecting property important worship paraphernalia."I think that people who are interested in aesthetics, and art, and taste, look back to the Heian period as one of the great cultures, not only in Japanese history but in the history of man." (Ian Buruma) Since the nature of reflection is somewhat mysterious, people were prone to associate mirrors with the supernatural. That these mirrors were prized by their owners is evident not only in light of their fine craftsmanship but also because of related artifacts that point to how they were valued.Īncient Chinese used mirrors in various social functions. Later, more sophisticated and intricate designs included mythological figures, deities, animals of the Chinese zodiac, abstract patterns, background textures, inscriptions, enamel work, and inlays of jade, turquoise, and mother-of-pearl. Changes in style and decorations between different historical periods reflect the evolution of social and cultural ideas and preferences.īirds, dragons, and serpents were common motifs in the earliest mirrors. The back is often decorated with a button and various motifs such as phoenix, beasts, flowers, leaves and lattice. Usually cast from clay molds, they were highly polished on one side, offering a reflective surface, while the other side was decorated with intricate patterns and designs that reveal an astonishing level of skill and artistry in their craftsmanship.Īmong these coveted pieces were small bronze mirrors, some compact and portable enough to be held in one hand, and others large and heavy enough to require stands. In the last few centuries, during the reign of the Qing dynasty (1616-1911), bronze mirrors were gradually replaced by glass mirrors. Some mirrors have a handle or eyelets for hanging. Mirrors were more uniform and typically round in Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) while greater variety is observed in the Song and Yuan dynasties (10th-14th century) when different forms, such as oblong and octagonal appeared. depicts a woman gazing into a mirror while applying powder to her face. A pottery tomb figure dating to about the first century B.C. They could, it was believed, dispel evils and so mirrors become a favorite burial accessory. They were given as gifts to and by emperors and common people alike. 425).Īs early as 2000 B.C., bronze technology was highly developed in China, and objects made from this alloy of copper, tin, and lead were considered luxury items, reserved for the aristocratic class. Was part of the Chinese art exhibition in London 1935-36 and is illustrated in the catalogue (no. The patina greyish green with encrustations. I bought it, if I remember correctly in Chengchou in Honan. This is the most exquisite and flawless example that I have seen. It is one of the earliest types of decorated mirrors and dates to 6th – 3rd Century. The type is very common and does not exist solely with four Shan (T-resembling) but with 1 to 7 of the same kind. 30: Bronze mirror of so called Shan-type, after the main decoration resembling the character Shan meaning mountain. This mirror described in Lagrelius's original collection catalogue No. Thence by descent.Ī similar 'shan' ("mountain" characters) mirror is in the collection of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm, illustrated in Bulletin of the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, no. China, Eastern Zhou/Warring States period.
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