When we visit museums, we often see various ancient bronze mirrors. It is a household daily necessities used by ancient Chinese people for plastic surgery. Most of these bronze mirrors were unearthed from ancient tombs, and a few were handed down from ancient times.
Whenever we visit a museum, we see various types of ancient bronze mirrors. Used as a household necessity for dressing by the ancient Chinese people, these bronze mirrors were mostly unearthed from ancient tombs, while some are kept as heirlooms.
As early as the 11th century BC, our ancestors were already using bronze mirrors. During the Warring States Period, bronze mirrors became popular among the people. The front of the mirror is polished and shiny, and the back is sometimes decorated with single or double layers of patterns. Common ones include animal face patterns, mosaic and leaf patterns, dragon and phoenix patterns, etc. During the Western Han Dynasty, bronze mirrors were thicker and more decorated with geometric patterns, images of gods, people, and animals. There are also cast inscriptions, each sentence only has three to four words, such as: "long lovesickness", "never forget each other", "often rich and noble", "Le Weiyang", etc. The content is mostly popular auspicious sayings. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, round mirrors, rectangular mirrors, rhombus mirrors, eight-prism mirrors and hand mirrors with handles appeared. After the Qing Dynasty, it was gradually replaced by glass mirrors.
Our ancestors started to use bronze mirrors in as early as the 11th century B.C. During the Warring States Period, bronze mirrors prevailed among the populace. The front side of the mirrors, after being polished, glistens while the backside is embellished with single-layered or double-layered patterns, among which the commonly seen are thus- of animal faces, flowers and leaves, dragons and phoenixes. During the Western flan Period, the bronze mirrors used to be relatively thick and heavy. Most of the decorative patterns were of geometrical forms, supernatural figures, or fowls and animals, accompanied by inscriptions of only three or four characters with such meanings as "eternal love", "never to forget", "wealth for ever" and "everlasting happiness" ". The content frequently dealt with common well-wishings. During the Song and Yuan Dynasties the bronze mirrors appeared in all shapes: round, rectangular, rhomboidal, octagonal, and those with a handle. Since the Qing Dynasty, however, the bronze mirror has gradually given way to the glass mirror.
The Shanghai Museum displays a bronze mirror - the "translucent mirror", which is a treasure from the Western Han Dynasty and has a diameter of 11.5 centimeters. This bronze mirror is the same as an ordinary bronze mirror, with patterns and inscriptions on the back. The strange thing is that when a beam of light hits the mirror,... The reflection is projected on the wall, and the patterns and words on the back of the bronze mirror appear in the bright circle on the wall, as if "transmitting" from the back of the mirror, so it is called "transparent mirror". For a long time in the past, even scientists were surprised by this phenomenon, and people called it the "magic mirror." Today, imitations can be sold in our country and are very popular with foreign tourists as tourist souvenirs.
In Shanghai Museum, one finds a treasure of the Western Han Period, the "penetrative bronze mirror", measuring 11.5 cm. in diameter. Like ordinary bronze mirrors it bears patterns and inscriptions on the back. But what amazes people is that when a bundle of rays is projected onto the surface of the mirror, which, in turn, reflects the light on the wall, the patterns and inscriptions on the backside are shown in the ring of the light, as if they had penetrated the whole thickness of the mirror. Hence the name of the mirror. For a long time in the past, even scientists were so puzzled at the phenomenon that it was called a "magic mirror". Today, reproductions of this mirror are being made and sold as souvenirs and they appeal very much to tourists.
In ancient my country, bronze mirrors were often used as funerary objects. In ancient tombs, bronze mirrors are often found placed on the head or chest of the deceased. Sometimes the bronze mirror and wooden comb are placed together in a lacquer box or a small purse. When excavating ancient tombs, some bronze mirrors were also found placed on the top of the tomb. It is said that this is to "ward off evil spirits" and "subdue demons".
In ancient times, bronze mirrors were very often used as sacrificial objects. In the ancient tombs, one can always expect to find bronze mirrors placed on top of the head or beside the chest of the dead. Sometimes, bronze mirrors and combs were put together in lacquer boxes or small pouches. In unearthing ancient tombs, bronze mirrors were sometimes discovered on the inner topsides, in order to keep away evil spirits and subdue demons, so it was said.