Bronze Mirror 銅鏡
bronze 青銅, 18.3cm diameter, Western Han dynasty 西汉 (206 BC–9 AD), China, 中國
cat# 140197
The center cast with four characters surrounding the central knob reading chang yi zisun (to benefit future generations forever), encircled with a band incorporating the four divine animals - the tortoise entwined with snake representing the north, the phoenix representing the south, the dragon representing the east and the tiger representing the west.
During the Han and Tang Dynasties Chinese women used silvered bronze mirrors. The front of the mirror was polished until a woman could see her reflection. The mirrors were held by a cord that ran through the knob on the back. The mirror was placed on a lacquer or bronze stand. Glass was not utilized for mirrors in China until the 20th century.