Glimpse of the Han Dynasty bronze mirror (1)

Previously thought, the history of Chinese bronze weapons culture, refers to the period from the summer solstice Qin. So talking about China's bronze, often also known as the pre-Qin bronze. Later, with the continuous archaeological discoveries, the Han Dynasty bronze culture in history would have to be determined, which includes a set of system controller and Appliances. We previously familiar, often used to study the Han Dynasty bronze mirror, actually only played the role of a piece of a jigsaw. So, although the relative decline in the bronze culture, but still has a context of sustainable development, production and use of bronze mirrors and must present a picture of prosperity. The first is the size and casting technology has been greatly developed, the number of unearthed more than the Warring States period, unearthed in the region and more widely. Second, the shape changes in the characteristics and style of ornamentation was, full of times. Such as the Western Han Dynasty to the early Eastern Han Dynasty, figurine bronze mirror gradually becomes thick, cast back more auspicious; there Annals Ming Wang Mang period bronze mirrors, buttons mostly hemispherical, there are four pedicle button; pattern in addition to geometric patterns, there are lines and animals God pattern; the Western Han Dynasty there is a "see the light of day," mirror, which can reflect sunlight back decoration and inscriptions in the shadow of the bright light microscopy; late Western Han Dynasty, the early Eastern Han Xin Mang Sheng Xingbo Bureau to mirror, in God were auspicious, the so-called six Bo ornamentation; Eastern Han Dynasty began to appear mid-relief portrait mirror and animal mirror and so on.

Specifically, the Han Dynasty bronze musical instruments mirror can be divided into the following four development periods:

1 the early Western Han Dynasty

By Qin short history, so this period nude statues mirrors production, regardless of shape or decoration characteristic style, and filled history of the Warring States Period of relationship is obvious. Stage of development of this point of course, bronze mirrors, their own unique characteristics does not lack, such as bronze mirrors decorated with inscriptions. The main contents are auspicious phrases, such as: "Great music Fukki, long live the future generations, should be food and drinks," "Grief and sorrow, like king of loyalty did not say, absolutely not willing to Acacia" and so on. These inscriptions are often decorated with ornamentation with bronze mirror to mirror around the center button layout. There are the main decoration grass pattern, even arc lines, geometric patterns, Pan Chi Wen, Feng Bird, animal patterns and so on. Rough outline of the main lines under ground fine grain.

Such china bronze sculpture mirror with multi-volume edge or rim decorated with arcs, worse than the legacy of the Warring States Period. But the inscriptions, grass and milk is obviously small decorative features to the Han Dynasty. More child unearthed in Chengdu, Sichuan mountain sheep, Luoyang, Xi'an, Shaanxi and Shandong and other places.

2 in the late Western Han Dynasty

Gradually increase the size bronze sculpture wildlife mirror, the mirror body is also increasingly heavy, mirror button from the early Xianwen into hemispherical, edge into the mirror volume usually cause narrow width edge. Land lines disappear, the main decoration more distinctive prominent. Grass pattern, even arc pattern is still popular, and four milk lines of God, Bo Bureau pattern prevailed. Inscriptions words increased, more content for blessings, Acacia, pray for wealth and so on. Such as "often Acacia, not forget themselves. Often rich, music is young" and so on. Bronze mirrors are common at this stage Zhao Ming mirror, sun mirror, grass pattern mirror, Bo bureau mirror, four dairy animal pattern mirrors and so on.

More bronze mirror, the mirror unearthed more grass pattern is typical of the Western Han Dynasty objects, popular early Western Han Dynasty, middle and late, but the details vary slightly from region to region decoration. "Longevity is young," mirror also unearthed more, Hunan, Sichuan, Henan, Shaanxi and other provinces have been found, but slightly different inscriptions, is the late Western Han Dynasty objects. Another book of this period there is a mirror very strange birds, is quite rare. The help button system Chi is very characteristic, and sub-mountain sheep in Chengdu, Sichuan, Henan, Luoyang, Xi'an and other places like the Western Han Dynasty unearthed bronze mirror button several surface roughly the same system, when the same thing.