Ancient people didn’t have mirrors. So, what on earth did they use for their daily grooming? They surely couldn’t go out with unkempt hair. In fact, even before the invention of mirrors, our Chinese ancestors had many ways to see their own appearance.

Ⅰ. Various Methods

1. Using Water

In ancient times, people could see their reflections in the water surface. Back then, productivity was indeed not that advanced, and they could still manage to do many things by taking advantage of the power of nature.

2. Using Copper Basins

After the invention of bronze ware, people used copper basins filled with water to look at their reflections. In pre – Qin works such as The Book of Documents (《尚书》), Guoyu (《国语》), and Zhuangzi (《庄子》), there are mentions of the ancients “using a basin of water” for this purpose. It can be said that the water – filled basin was the earliest form of a mirror.

3. Using Bronze Mirrors

With the advent of alloy technology, bronze mirrors made of copper and tin, or silver – lead, etc., began to be used for looking at one’s face. Bronze mirrors were generally made in a round or square shape. Their backs were cast with inscriptions and decorative patterns, and they had knobs for tying strings. The fronts were polished with lead – tin to make them shiny, allowing for a clear reflection of one’s face. Bronze mirrors were a kind of daily – use item for the ancients to look at their faces. Their smooth and shiny fronts could reflect one’s appearance, while their backs had rich decorative patterns. So, they were not only practical items but also works of art.

The appearance of bronze mirrors was an accident when the ancients looked at their reflections in water. However, from the perspective of the development of human psychology, it was an inevitable need for people to recognize their own existence. Before the existence of mirrors, people could only see others and the external world. They were unable to observe themselves and confirm their own existence. Therefore, we can say that the understanding of oneself is the deep – seated reason why bronze mirrors could continuously evolve and always accompany people throughout the long history. Based on this, bronze mirrors with a long history, exquisite craftsmanship, and beautiful decorative patterns have always been highly cherished by people.

Ⅱ. Bronze Mirrors Development in Different Dynasties

Bronze mirrors actually went through three stages of development, with particularly outstanding achievements during the Warring States period, the Han Dynasty, and the Tang Dynasty. Now, let’s appreciate some bronze mirror designs in the order of the dynasties’ development.

1. Warring States Bronze Mirrors

The characteristics of bronze mirrors in this period are mainly in three aspects:

First, judging from current archaeological excavations, the scope of use of bronze mirrors in this period expanded significantly compared to previous generations. Bronze mirrors were no longer rare treasures that were hardly seen even in the tombs of high – ranking nobles. Instead, they gradually became common daily – use items among the noble class.

Second, in terms of the manufacturing techniques of bronze mirrors, bronze mirrors in the Warring States period far surpassed previous generations in terms of size, weight, and the clarity of reflection. Many decorative techniques of bronze mirrors set the precedent for later generations. Bronze mirrors made with new techniques such as painted mirrors, gold – and – silver – inlaid mirrors, and inlaid mirrors are truly amazing.

Third, in terms of the decorative patterns of bronze mirrors, they were no longer limited to simple patterns such as convex string patterns and geometric patterns. Instead, a rich variety of patterns emerged, including human figures, animal figures, and abstract symbol patterns.

2. The Han Dynasty

The Han Dynasty was the second major period of development for Chinese bronze mirrors, and the grand and solemn style was an important characteristic of bronze mirrors at that time. Compared with previous generations, bronze mirrors in the Han Dynasty were made with even more exquisite craftsmanship. Some unearthed bronze mirrors can still reflect clearly to this day.

First, the most significant development of Han – Dynasty bronze mirrors was the sudden rise of inscribed mirrors. Inscribing texts on bronze mirrors began in the late Warring States period, but at that time, the inscriptions were simple in content and the number of inscribed mirrors was small. By the middle and late Western Han Dynasty, a large number of inscribed mirrors emerged, and the inscription content was extremely rich, reflecting the living conditions and spiritual world of the Han – Dynasty people from various aspects.

Second, the decorative patterns of Han – Dynasty bronze mirrors were also more diverse. In addition to traditional patterns such as geometric patterns, plant and animal patterns, distinctively characteristic patterns like the board – game pattern, the four gods pattern, as well as patterns of feathered immortals and divine beasts reflecting the immortal world also appeared.

The Four Gods (The four divine beasts: Qinglong/Azure Dragon, Baihu/White Tiger, Xuanwu/Black Tortoise, and Zhuque/Vermilion Bird) and Board – Game Pattern Mirror was one of the most exquisite and longest – popular bronze mirrors from the late Western Han Dynasty to the middle Eastern Han Dynasty.

Its main feature is that among the decorative patterns, there are regularly distributed patterns similar to the letters “T”, “L”, and “V”. Due to its regular decorative format, it is called the “Board – Game Pattern Mirror”. The main decorative patterns of the Board – Game Pattern Mirror are based on the Four Gods, along with animals, birds, and feathered immortals. Influenced by Taoist thought, these patterns of feathered immortals and auspicious beasts were popular for a while. Decorating bronze mirrors with these patterns was believed to have the function of protecting the house from evil spirits.

3. The Tang Dynasty

Bronze mirrors in the Tang Dynasty witnessed unprecedented development, giving people a sense of grandeur, opulence, and substantiality. Its characteristics can be summarized in three aspects:

First, from a technical perspective, the casting of bronze mirrors in the Tang Dynasty inherited the craftsmanship of more than two thousand years. They were exquisitely cast, with large and heavy mirror bodies. The proportion of tin in the alloy was further increased, which made the bronze mirrors have better reflective effects, look dazzlingly beautiful, and could be used to see one’s appearance more clearly.

Second, in terms of shape and decorative patterns, the shapes of bronze mirrors in the Tang Dynasty often broke through the traditional round shape, and various fancy bronze mirrors were produced, such as the regular octagonal shape, the lovely diamond – shaped pattern, and the graceful lotus shape. As a result, the ornamental value of bronze mirrors was enhanced, and they became a kind of high – grade handicraft.

Third, from a cultural perspective, in the Tang Dynasty, in addition to their basic functions of reflecting one’s face and decoration, bronze mirrors were often used by the emperor to reward his ministers on his birthday. The empire also used bronze mirrors to treat foreign states with courtesy, and merchants carried bronze mirrors and spread them to foreign lands along with the camel bells on the Silk Road… Bronze mirrors in the Tang Dynasty had far exceeded the practical level of being used for looking at one’s appearance in the boudoir and adjusting one’s clothes. They were not just playing a spiritual role of dispelling evil spirits, protecting the house, and praying for good fortune. Instead, they were used as a cultural symbol of the country.

Summary

Li Longji, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, liked to reward his ministers with bronze mirrors on his birthday. At that time, it was called the “Qianqiu Appreciation Festival (千秋鉴赏节)”. The common people also followed suit one after another, and it became fashionable to give bronze mirrors as gifts to each other. This was also one of the reasons for the great development of bronze mirrors during this period.

Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty once said, “Using bronze as a mirror, one can adjust one’s clothes; using history as a mirror, one can understand the rise and fall of dynasties; using people as a mirror, one can know one’s own gains and losses.” The poet Yuan Zhen also said, “Your heart is as clear as a bronze mirror, and all things can be reflected in it.” Today, let’s peer through these bronze mirrors and catch a glimpse of the historical events in the imperial palaces at that time, the sounds of vehicles in the official streets and alleys, and the voices of people playing on the swings in the deep courtyards of the red mansions.