In ancient China, before glass mirrors became widely available, people mostly used bronze mirrors to look at their faces. Archaeological discoveries show that the earliest known bronze mirror appeared in the Qijia culture more than 4,000 years ago. The emergence of bronze mirrors enabled the ancient Chinese to get rid of the situation of "taking water as a mirror (mirror)". In the long historical evolution, the shape and decoration of bronze mirrors have undergone various changes, and people have also given them Rich cultural connotation. 1. The historical evolution of bronze mirrors. The evolution of bronze mirrors has gone through the Shang, Zhou, Qin, Han, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, showing different characteristics at each different stage: 1. The Origin of Bronze Mirrors. There is no very clear evidence as to when and where bronze mirrors originated. However, ancient Chinese people often like to attribute inventions and creations to great men, so the ancients also said that the manufacture of bronze mirrors was the work of the Yellow Emperor. "The Biography of Emperor Xuanyuan" says: "The (Huang) Emperor cast a mirror to resemble it, and it became a precious mirror with fifteen sides. "Here it is said that Huangdi cast fifteen mirrors for looking at his face, but the mirrors Huangdi made were all divine mirrors. However, the myth is not believable after all. Fortunately, people made discoveries during the archaeological process. In 1975, a bronze mirror was unearthed from a tomb in Qijiaping, Guanghe, Gansu, and in 1976, a bronze mirror was unearthed from a tomb in Gamatai Village, Guinan County, Qinghai. The tombs in which these two bronze mirrors were unearthed belong to the Qijia culture. The starting cultural age is about 2000 BC, which is about 4000 years ago. It is the earliest bronze mirror discovered. 2. Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States Period During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the bronze mirror production technology was just emerging and the technology was not mature enough. From the late Warring States Period to the Early Warring States Period, bronze mirrors were characterized by smaller diameters, thin mirror bodies, flat mirror surfaces, and simple patterns. Most of them were plain mirrors. By the middle and late Warring States Period, the production technology of bronze mirrors had made great progress, and the decoration had evolved from the original. The simple patterns developed into hollow, gold and silver, inlaid jade, painted, etc., with various forms. Moreover, the diameter became larger and the thickness increased, and the production of bronze mirrors reached a new peak. 3. The Han Dynasty during the Warring States Period. An important period for the development of bronze ware in my country. At this time, the development of bronze mirrors entered a prosperous stage. Most of the bronze mirrors in the Western Han Dynasty were mainly round and semi-circular buttons, and some animal-shaped buttons also appeared. They were lifelike, lively and decorated. There are flat carvings, line carvings and relief carvings. The themes of bronze mirrors in the middle and late Eastern Han Dynasty are more extensive, and the structural patterns are becoming more and more complex. The craftsmanship is mainly high relief carvings, and the carvings are extremely fine, rich in connotation, and many. Inscription. Han Dynasty Transformed Four-leaf Beast Head Mirror and Five Divine Mirrors 4. Sui and Tang Dynasties The Sui and Tang Dynasties were an era of innovation. The styles of bronze mirrors also changed from the rigid and rigid style of the Han Dynasty to free and flexible. New mirror styles continued to emerge, and the patterns in the decorations There are endless types of flowers, birds, and plants. During the Sui and early Tang Dynasties, auspicious animal mirrors were popular; from Emperor Gaozong to Wu Zetian of the Tang Dynasty, auspicious animal grape mirrors, auspicious animal luan bird mirrors, and bird-wrapped flower branch mirrors based on birds and flower branches were very popular; from Tang Xuanzong to Tang Dezong During this period, bird mirrors, character story mirrors, auspicious flower mirrors, coiling dragon mirrors and various special craft mirrors were mainly popular. 5. During the Song Dynasty, the development of bronze mirrors entered a slow stage. It follows the mirror shape of the Tang Dynasty. Common ones include rhombus mirrors, sunflower mirrors, etc. Especially in the Southern Song Dynasty, the style of bronze mirrors emphasized practicality rather than patterns. They were basically made of plain mirrors with the manufacturer's trademark inscription. . Fushou Jia'an Double Inscription Mirror 6. During the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Yuan Dynasty was short-lived, social development was slow, and the bronze mirror craftsmanship declined. During the Ming Dynasty, glass-based mirrors emerged, and bronze mirrors gradually disappeared from the stage of history. Although there are many forms of bronze mirrors, most of them are imitations of the Han and Tang Dynasties and lack of innovation. During the Qing Dynasty, the production of bronze mirrors declined rapidly under the impact of glass mirrors. The practical functions of bronze mirrors in this period declined and they were more used in social life. They play the role of symbols, such as: killing monsters in houses, wedding dowry, etc. 2. The cultural connotation of bronze mirrors. In China’s mirror culture of more than 4,000 years, bronze mirrors have already developed from the initial presentation of faces to the carrying of human spirit. connotation. Bronze mirrors played various roles in the lives of ancient people and carried rich cultural heritage, mainly in the following aspects: 1. Tokens of love and marriage. Bronze mirrors, because of their exquisite shape and round shape, After a long period of evolution, it has become a symbol of people's love and marriage. Nowadays, there are still many words that use mirrors to express the meaning of marital reunion, such as ""break the mirror and reunite".

Therefore, in the lives of ancient people, bronze mirrors were often used as tokens of love and marriage, betrothal gifts or dowries. Most of the time, bronze mirrors were used as betrothal gifts. It is recorded in "Mirror Four" in Volume 380 of "Yuanjian Leihan": "" It is a custom among the Southern Barbarians that a slave is used as a betrothal gift for marriage, and if there is no slave, a bronze mirror is used as a betrothal gift. "It is said that the custom in Nanman is to use a slave as a betrothal gift. If there is no slave, a bronze mirror is used instead. At this time, the bronze mirror is given the meaning of perfection, reunion, and auspiciousness, indicating a happy marriage. In addition to being used as betrothal gifts, bronze mirrors are also used in wedding ceremonies. Volume 20 "Marriage" of "Meng Liang Lu" written by Wu Zimu in the Song Dynasty contains: ""... before inviting the newlyweds to get out of the car. One man turned towards the chariot, holding a mirror, several women, holding lotus torches and candles, and led the way. Then two trusted female envoys helped him walk on the left and right, walking on a brocade mattress or a green felt flower mat. Upward. "After the newlyweds got off the car, first a maid walked in the opposite direction to the front of the car, holding a bronze mirror in her hand. Several other maids held lotus torches and candles in their hands, leading the way. Two trusted female envoys on the left and right supported the bride as she moved forward. Bronze mirrors are widely used in wedding ceremonies. In addition to the "holding the mirror in reverse" as mentioned by the Master, the couple can not only worship together at the wedding, but also "*** Jie Nian", the "Jing Nian" here is actually similar to what we call hair knot today, both of which mean *** Jie Nian. Duan Chengshi of the Tang Dynasty wrote in his "Youyang" "Etiquette" in Volume 1 of "Zazu Qianji" contains: ""In modern weddings, when a woman is welcomed, she fills a mortar with three liters of millet and a mat to cover the well... When marrying a woman, the couple worships or marries together. New. "Under the influence of such wedding customs, the symbolic meaning of a successful marriage in bronze mirrors became even stronger. In the late ancient society, the completeness, incompleteness and brokenness of bronze mirrors symbolized the perfection and division of marriage and love. This symbolic meaning It appears in many Guda novels. For example, "The Mandarin Duck Mirror" in Volume 33 of "Chibei Ou Tan" by Wang Shizhen in the Qing Dynasty describes a young man who has a mandarin duck mirror. Wang Lanshi wants to buy it, but the boy refuses, and the two push and pull it. Suddenly, the mirror fell to the ground and broke. The boy and Xie's daughter met in the ancestral hall, intending to elope. This mandarin duck mirror was left by Xie's daughter. In this story, the act of giving the mirror represents the confirmation of the love relationship. The broken mirror represents the breakdown of the love relationship between the two. In addition, the symbolic meaning of the perfect love of the bronze mirror is also reflected in the works of poets of the past dynasties. For example, the poem "Ding Qing Pian" by Qiao Zhi of the Tang Dynasty says: "" I have Qin. House mirrors, treasure boxes filled with pearls. In the coming year of the 28th, I will not remember Yi Yinhui. Concubine, there is no light and silence, and she is still in the shadow. I hold it as a gift today, and don’t go against each other if we know each other. "Here, the bronze mirror actually represents the woman's heart. The act of gifting the mirror is entrusting oneself to the man. The meaning of perfect reunion and happy marriage can also be seen in the shape and decoration of the bronze mirror. Common ones include Mirrors with double phoenixes, mirrors with birds around flower branches, mirrors with auspicious beasts, Luan, Phoenix and grapes, etc., are all symbols of auspiciousness and perfection. Luan, Phoenix, Peony Mirror, Double Wild Goose and Double Phoenix Mirror. 2. Funeral Supplies Bronze mirrors are one of the daily necessities for people, and they also have rich aesthetics. Interestingly, ancient people had the custom of burying items that the deceased used during his lifetime for continued use in the afterlife. Therefore, exquisitely crafted bronze mirrors often became funeral objects. A large amount of burial copper has been found in excavated ancient tombs. According to the different patterns and sizes of these bronze mirrors, archaeologists determined their age. The bronze mirror found in the tomb of Haihunhou was recorded in Volume 1 of "The Continuation of Guixin Miscellaneous Knowledge" written by Zhou Mi of the Song Dynasty: " "In this world. If there is a large coffin and the coffin lid is hung with a mirror to illuminate the corpse, it is often said that it means light to break the darkness. ""Hanshu·Huo Guangzhuan": ""In Guang's mourning, he was given the East Garden." Wen Mingfu Qian said, "There is a secret vessel in the east garden. Put a mirror in it and hang it on the corpse." ’ But it’s still coming. "It can be seen that during ancient funerals, a mirror was hung on the coffin lid to illuminate the corpse, which meant to break the darkness and bring out the light. Hanging the mirror on the coffin lid is one way, and another way is to place the mirror with the deceased. Together, they are placed close to the body, mostly on the head, chest, waist, feet, etc. of the deceased. Others place bronze mirrors in some corners outside the coffin, such as "Luoyang Western Han Dynasty Stone Coffin Tomb". It says: " "The deceased was placed in the main chamber, and... except for a bronze mirror placed at the south end of the coffin, the other burial utensils were placed in the ear chamber. " Why ancient people buried bronze mirrors with them? This issue has been discussed a lot by scholars. Dongsheng said in "Ancient Mirrors": ""Mirrors were handed down from generation to generation and were produced by various Tujia people." When ancient people buried martyrs, they would put a mirror into the coffin to support them, which means that the mirror is crystal clear and can illuminate the dark world.

There are few ancient tombs since the Han Dynasty. This is especially worthy of study in folklore. " It can be seen from this passage that most scholars believe that the reason why bronze mirrors became funerary objects is not only because the ancients had the custom of burying commonly used objects during their lifetimes as mentioned above, but also because bronze mirrors are crystal clear and bright. The hearts of the ancients can illuminate the underworld, so that bronze mirrors have appeared in almost all tombs since the Han Dynasty. But it has to be said that it is only when these exquisite bronze mirrors are lying quietly underground that people can get a glimpse of the ancients. The aesthetic appeal, as well as the exquisite handicrafts of that era, have extremely high archaeological significance. 3. To eliminate evil spirits from the house. In the ancient Chinese concept, bronze mirrors are also a magic weapon to eliminate evil spirits from the house. This may also be based on the reflection of bronze mirrors. There are many stories about using bronze mirrors to ward off evil spirits among the people, which also provided writing materials for many literati. Volume 12 of "Wuzazu" written by Zhao Zhe in the Ming Dynasty tells a lot about bronze mirrors shining on evil spirits. : "" Zhou secretly sees things like daylight, Qin's square mirror illuminates people's hearts, Han Shi Liangdi's poisonous mirror reflects demons, Sui Wang's mirror can cure all diseases, Tang Ye Fashan's iron mirror can see things like water, Chang'an Ren Zhongxuan's mirror is the most precious treasure of the Water Mansion. Captured by the dragon, the fisherman's mirror in Qinhuai can see the five internal organs and six internal organs... Li Shining's Xuanyuan Mountain mirror can see far and near, and Jiayouzhong Wu's monk's mirror can see the good and bad future. "The bronze mirror mentioned here is very powerful. Not only is it as bright as daytime, but it can also illuminate people, eliminate all diseases, predict good and bad luck, etc. It is like a "magic weapon" in the hands of gods. The earliest copper mirrors The story of the Tang Dynasty legend "The Ancient Mirror" tells of the mirror as a treasure to ward off evil spirits. By chance, the protagonist Wang Du got an ancient mirror from Hou Sheng of Fenyin and told him that this mirror could ward off evil spirits and illuminate Wang Du when he went out. Every time, he would bring this mirror with him. This mirror successively showed the ghosts transformed into parrots, old foxes and big snakes. It could also eliminate diseases, which was extremely miraculous. Wang Du's younger brother Wang Ji went out to travel and used this bronze mirror. Many spirits appeared on the road. After Wang Ji returned to Chang'an, he returned the bronze mirror to Wang Du. Wang Du put the bronze mirror in the box. After many years, the bronze mirror made a mournful cry and disappeared without a trace. Without a trace. This kind of plot that uses mirrors as magic weapons is widely used in ancient novels. For example, in the seventh chapter of "Journey to the West", Sun Wukong makes a big fuss in the Heavenly Palace. Looking for traces of Sun Wukong. In Chapter 61, after the Bull Demon King transformed, his true form was revealed by the Demon Mirror of the King of Tota, and he was captured. Because of the ability of the bronze mirror to exorcise evil spirits and illuminate demons, many Taoist priests even practiced. Carry the mirror with you. Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty said in "Baopuzi Neipian Dengshejuan": "The old man of all things can confuse people with his shapes, but he cannot change the true shape in the mirror." Therefore, when a Taoist priest goes into a mountain and carries a bright mirror with a diameter of more than nine inches on his back, the evil spirits will not dare to get close, and will run away when they see their shape. "It is said that all things in the world tend to transform into monsters over time. These monsters can often change their shapes to confuse people. They can only reveal their true bodies by shining them with mirrors. Therefore, when Taoist priests go into the mountains, they will talk about the use of copper wires that are more than nine inches in size. Carry the mirror on your back. At this time, evil spirits will not be able to get close to you and they will escape. In fact, many such customs are still retained in today's Chinese society. Many families still hang mirrors on their doors to ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters. The development and changes in the shape and decoration of bronzes, as well as their rich cultural connotations, provide an important channel for us to understand the aesthetic taste, production technology and social ideology of ancient Chinese people.