Chinese bronzes are recognized as the world's top works of art, and the production of bronze mirrors has pushed the bronze casting process to its peak.
Bronze mirrors from different historical periods have very different styles of images
The tension and layering of the Warring States mirror
The mystery and beauty of the Han mirror, the delicacy and glitz of the Sui and Tang mirrors,
A classic representation of these bronze mirrors.
The beauty of art is vividly presented in the ...... of every square inch
Tang Siluan title ribbon gold and silver flat off the mirror Xi'an Changle Po unearthed.
Collection of Shaanxi History Museum.
Qingye Tonghua is a mirrorThe light shines like waterBronze mirrors were originally called"Jian"., which means that the metal container can be used to reflect after holding water. Generally cast by bronze with a high tin content, so it is also known as a bronze mirror, the bright side is the mirror surface, and the reverse side is set up with a button to wear a ribbon for easy hand use. The front is as clear as water, can be dressed, the back is elegantly decorated, the inscription is gentle, the bronze mirror reflects the ancient science and technology, social fashion and aesthetic taste, carrying the glory of national art. 
Luodian flower and bird pattern flat off mirror Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology collection.
It not only integrates into social life with practical functions, but also with a special bronze mirror culture"Broken mirror reunion", "mirror hanging", "copper as mirror".and so on, becoming an integral part of Chinese culture. The bronze mirror is well-made, beautifully decorated, rich in content, just as the "Ancient Mirror Catalogue" says: "The exquisiteness of the depiction (drawing), the wonder of the words, the gentleness of the rhetoric, and the three good ones are not mirrors." The small bronze mirrors not only reflect the smelting technology and casting process of different periods, but also reflect the rich spiritual life and prosperous culture and art of the people at that time. 
Tang Dynasty Rui beast grape pattern mirror diameter 215 cm From the archaeological data, the earliest bronze mirrors were unearthed in the Qijiaping cultural tombs of Guanghe, Gansu and Gamatai, Guinan, Qinghai about 4,000 years ago. It has gone through the early (Qijia culture and Shang and Zhou bronze mirrors), popular (Spring and Autumn Warring States Bronze Mirrors), prosperous (Han Dynasty Bronze Mirrors), middle decline (Three Kingdoms, Jin, Wei, Northern and Southern Dynasties Bronze Mirrors), prosperity (Sui and Tang Bronze Mirrors), decline (Five Dynasties, Ten Kingdoms, Song, Jin, Yuan Bronze Mirrors) and other stages. 
It was not until the early Qing Dynasty that the "mercury glass mirror" was introduced to China by missionaries from the West, and the bronze mirror retreated to the nature of use. However, in the imperial court, it was developed into a royal ornament, which was made and placed in important places in the palace to achieve the emperor's expectations"Don't forget the past, don't forget the original".meaning.
Characteristics of bronze mirrors from different periodsIn the history of Chinese bronze mirrors, there are three peaks, namely the Warring States Period, the Two Han Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty. The number of bronze mirrors that have survived to this day is relatively large, the production craftsmanship is exquisite, and the ornamental themes are colorful, representing the highest level of ancient Chinese bronze mirror production. The ornamental part of some of the high-grade hollow composite mirrors is made by casting the top bronze ritual vessel lost wax method to achieve the artistic effect of air penetration. 
Transparent dragon pattern sandwich bronze mirror Hubei Provincial Museum collectionFrom the Qijia culture to the Western Zhou Dynasty, the number of bronze mirrors found in archaeology is small and the decoration is simple, but it opens the door to the complex world of Chinese bronze mirrors. In the early days, bronze mirrors were mostly seen in pan mantis pattern mirrors and mountain pattern bronze mirrors, especially the most common and mysterious category of bronze mirrors in the Warring States period"Mountain".The word pattern bronze mirror, the ground pattern is feather-like, and the main pattern is also equipped with animal and plant ornamentation in addition to the word "mountain". Regarding the meaning of the word "mountain", the academic community has different opinions. 
Four Mountains Pattern Mirror Sengoku Diameter 133 cm
Pan mantis pattern mirror Warring States diameter 109 cm
Tomb No. 126 of the watershed cemetery in Changzhi City, Shanxi Province was unearthed.
In the early days of the Western Han Dynasty, the social economy was in the recovery stage, and most of the bronze mirrors followed the Warring States style, and the inscriptions began to appearIn the late Western Han Dynasty, from Xinmang to the Eastern Han Dynasty, there are many kinds of ornamental themes, animals and human figures are realistic and lively, and the inscriptions are rich and colorful. The official casting mirror industry of the Han Dynasty has developed by leaps and bounds, and the number of bronze mirrors is huge, and the ornamentation is gorgeous, and it has gradually entered the lives of the people. 
Left: Western Han Dynasty painted figures, chariot and horse mirrors, Xi'an Museum collection, right, Western Han painted figures, chariot and horse mirrors, line drawings.
A total of 17 human figures are painted on the bronze mirror, interspersed with images of trees, meadows, wild beasts, etc., making the four pictures have a coherent story. The color of this painted figure chariot mirror is well preserved and the pattern is clear, which is one of the few in the country.
The pinnacle of geometric graphic design in the Tang Dynasty.
The bronze mirror with the pattern of flowers and birds in Luodian, Henan Province, was unearthed in 1955 in the Tang Tomb of Jianxi in Luoyang, Henan Province, and is collected in the National Museum of China, which is a rare fine product in the Tang mirror.
The beauty of design in the Sui and Tang dynasties is not only limited to the layout of the mirror back, but also the superb artistic quality and geometric design of the Tang Dynasty craftsmen.
In addition to the round and square of the bronze mirror, the bronze mirror created a new style such as six-petal rhomboid, eight-petal rhomboid, sunflower-shaped and horn-shaped, showing a rich and gorgeous artistic style, and making it more inclusive, and the charm of the country was fully expressed.
Tang Jinbei Rui Beast Grape Pattern Mirror Collection of Xi'an Museum.
Tang Feixian Cloud Crane Sunflower-shaped Mirror Collection of Shaoxing Museum.
Tang Ping Luodian back octagonal mirror Shosoin collection.
Tang lacquer back gold silver flat off octagonal mirrors.
After the Northern Song Dynasty, the charm and beauty were emphasizedAfter the Northern Song Dynasty, the bronze mirror emphasized the charm and beauty on the basis of the function of "use", showing a trend of perfection. The bronze mirrors of the Song, Yuan and Ming dynasties, in addition to following the previous generations, the mirror shape has newly appeared rectangle, peach-shaped, bell-shaped, bottle-shaped, and a variety of shapes such as adding a handle on the mirror.
Song "Jianzhou Zhengdao Bronze Mirror" square bronze mirror side length 139 cm, thickness 03 cm Song double phoenix pattern "Yanping Fan Qizhaozi" Kwai mouth bronze mirror diameter 155 cm, thickness 2The 5 cm decorative theme is dominated by trademark brands and entwined branches of flowers and birds, the alloy composition of the tire has changed significantly compared with the Han and Tang Dynasties, and the zinc-containing brass mirror tends to be light and thin, and pays more attention to practicality.
Ming rhombic flower-shaped double lion double luan entwined flower pattern mirror sold for 1,380,000 with a diameter of 20cm;Thickness 0The use of every casting process in the 8cm China Trade Shengjia 2023 Autumn Auction is the choice of the times and a visual presentation of social development. On the whole, the development of ancient Chinese bronze mirrors has a law that can be found from emphasizing decoration to focusing on practicality, from mythology to secularity. EspeciallyOpenwork, painting, lacquer, inlay, gilding, wrong gold and silver, gold back and silver back, gold and silver flat, luodian, cloisonné enamel, etcThe blessing of special craftsmanship helps the bronze mirror to stand at the top of the craft, integrating bronze craftsmanship, lacquerware craftsmanship and gold and silver craftsmanship, taking the essence and using the macro, and gathering the essence, which can be regarded as the highest achievement of ancient Chinese craftsmanship.
Turquoise flower and leaf pattern bronze mirror Shenzhen Museum collection
Wrong gold and silver hunting pattern mirror collection of Eisei Bunko in Japan
Painted mirror of birds and insects, collection of Tsinghua Art Museum
Gilded bronze mirror with inlays, collection of the National Museum
Tang silver-backed gilt bird and beast pattern flower mouth mirror
Bronze mirror collection and auction
In the field of collection, bronze mirrors have always been classified as miscellaneous, and the market attention has not been high for a long time. Since 2004, the bronze mirror has gradually stepped out of a wave of rise from being unrecognized, to value discovery, to development and maturity.
The value of bronze mirrors is being recognized and explored by the market, and it has become an increasingly popular collection category.
Qing Kangxi imperial copper tire cloisonné enamel antique entwined lotus pattern large bronze mirror
Sold for 655500,000.
Auction company: Beijing Poly.
The ornamental composition is dense and exquisite, and the matching of the round button and the ring pattern in the outer area adjusts the compact layout of the inner area full of entwined branch lotuses, thus forming a rhythmic display change.
Six Mountains and Six Leaves Mirror
Realized**: RMB 10,580,000.
Size: diameter 18cm;Weighs 562g
Beijing Yongle 2021 Spring Auction.
Early Sui and Tang Dynasty Zodiac Pattern Bronze Mirror Christie's Autumn 2010 Auction.
Price realised: RMB 831,408
Tang petal-shaped bronze mirror Christie's Autumn Auction 2010.
Price realised: RMB 2,297,400
Ming Shancai boy worships the Guanyin patterned mirror
Sale**: 8,050,000 RMB Size: Diameter 273cm；Thickness 1cm;Weighing 4295g in the trade Shengjia 2021 auction.
Mingfu beast button high relief hollow Rui beast grape pattern mirror.
Realized**: RMB 2,760,000.
Size: Diameter 125cm；Thickness 13cm；Weight 8328g
China Trade Shengjia 2021 Auction
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The small bronze mirror reflects the world and contains people's yearning for a better life. It is not only about looking at the appearance and dressing properly, but also giving it a deeper meaning in the long river of historical development.
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