Chinese Bronze Mirrors

This collection of classic Chinese bronze mirrors features both good and excellent examples from the Warring States to Tang dynasties especially. These mirrors though created as functional objects to aid the presentation of beauty and self in the sophisticated and wealthy culture of their time, had other functions also. In archaic Chinese bronze-age cultures bronze mirrors are particularly associated with shamanism, magic, mystery and other worlds. As well as being aids to the day-to-day beautification process, such mirrors were used as “interfaces” between the daily life and the beyond, in the performance of spiritual rites and as talismans.

Originally the undecorated reflecting surface of these metal castings would have had a high polish and in many instances carried a mercury, or even a gilded, coating so as to enable their function as mirrors. The central nub at times was used to hold or secure the mirror while in use, while at other times just served as a central focus, the mirror being supported just by a stand made from wood or other materials such as jade, ivory or bronze. It is the highly decorative reverse side of the mirror that carries the message – done usually in high relief using the “lost wax” method of casting. Many of these mirrors were made with an “alchemical” intent as to the combination of metals used (“three metals”, “five metals”, “planetary metals”), and featured decorative themes having talismanic and magical functions. In Asian shamanistic culture a mirror can be used to capture or “fix” a spirit, to aid a spiritual process and in rites involving the painting of “life-giving” details or features of paintings and sculptures – noteworthy the eyes and fine features.

Asian archaic bronze mirrors are high-status and extremely valuable items, which were invariably buried with the dead to accompany the spirit to heavenly or celestial realms and are at times best understood as being like road-maps or reminders of the Way or journey of the spirit into the next world. These spiritual road-maps or designs are depicted on the back of the mirrors, and include snow-flake-like symmetrical abstract forms, “star-clusters”, formalized mandalas with the four directions and center delineated, configurations representing the “five elements”, as well as both symmetrical and asymmetrical groupings of magical and mythic creatures – including phoenix birds, dragons, and a plethora of other creatures and subjects including lions, tigers, horses, deer, frogs, butterflies, grapes, foliage, “trees of life”, and “Paradisical” scenes with sages, heavenly maidens, and so forth, as well as depictions of the twelve cyclic (calendrical) animals, “alchemical” or magical inscriptions and dedications. Many of these mirrors had a talismanic or “protective” function also, protecting their owner from untoward occult forces or circumstance. In many instances they may have been the single most precious item of their owner and the only valuable item to be buried with them.

In later periods (especially the Tang and Liao) the decorations on bronze mirrors feature highly artistic and “poetic” groupings with phoenix birds (symbol of the Empress and female spiritual power), dragons (symbol of the Emperor and male spiritual power) as well as carefully composed spiritual or idealistic aristocratic themes, of deep spiritual and artistic significance. Sometimes, select details are gilded to accent particular parts of the composition or to create a specific overall artistic effect. Generally the quality of artistry and craftsmanship is extremely high, which is why Chinese bronze mirrors have been keenly collected both in the archaic and historic era and until today. They were exported also, to Mongolia, Korea and Japan especially – all of which cultures also created their own bronze mirrors of related types.

Detail of periods covered:

Warring States 475 - 221 BC.
Western Han 206 BC - 8 AD.
Eastern Han 25 - 220 AD.
Xin 9 - 24 AD.
Sui 581 - 618 AD.
Tang 618 - 907 AD.
Liao 907 -1125 AD.
Jin 1115 – 1234 AD.

SOME PUBLISHED REFERENCES TO MAJOR CONTEMPORARY COLLECTIONS OF CHINESE BRONZE MIRRORS

"Bronze Mirrors from Ancient China: The Donald H Graham Jr. Collection", 1994. (134 mirrors total – 25 from the Warring States era)
In the Honolulu Academy of Arts, Hawaii, USA.

"Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".
(143 mirrors total – including Warring States, Han, Sui and Tang examples.)
The Collection was formed by Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Martha Carter of Madison, WI. In the Cleveland Museum, Cleveland, USA.

"Clarified Beauty of Bronze Mirrors: The Wellington Wang Collection",
(249 mirrors, mirror stands and items/sculptures associated with mirrors).
In the National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan.