Bronze Mirror in Two Han – New Mang Age: This was a unitary multi-national feudal state and powerful and prosperous time. Political environment felt relieved in early Han, economy was resumed. Feudal economy was booming of an unprecedented scale between Wendi and Jingdi. Han culture formed and spreaded to all nation. This was high developing sign of material civilization. Bronze mirror’s culture was also to develop and advance. Bronze mirror was not only dressing and making up articles for use, but also bearing the weight of many society culture and custom. In Han dynasty of lay equal stress on Taoist and implements, any rise and fall of society mind and vary of society custom, it was all reflected in bronze mirror’s line and inscription. Line meaning and inscription prompting in bronze mirror systemic research may fill not enough in the historic record.
Panhui Mirrors and Panchi Line Mirrors in early Han were a style of Warring States, happy riches and honour Panchi Mirror in Wendi and Jingdi age was also Warring States style but inscription and rule line started appearing. Flower-Leaves Mirrors and Grass-Leaves Mirrors were popular, it may see to pursue Laozi mind “Wuwei Erzhi”, agriculture developed. Grass-Leaves line was wheat head line in mirror, this was great respect for nature in Han people. “Tianxia Daming” inscription of mirror in was the sun in heaven, how lucky is it! Bronze mirror in Jingwang grave was also grass-leaves line.
Star-cloud mirrors, inscription mirrors were mainly popular in Han Wudi age and late two Han. Han people paid attention to astronomy. Astronomical phenomena change was the effect of agriculture harvest because of agriculture society. The later, it is becoming a belief, a worship for universe. Constellation in heaven opposites all in earth, thick weight bronze mirror represent national strong, and matter enough. i.e. mirror inscription: “day has happy, month has enough, happy no thing, often lucky, beautiful meeting, wind instrument has person, many things in shop.”
Four beasts four spirits mirror, Green dragon, white tiger, rosefinch, Xuanwu etc carved life like, fine line treasure shape up to higher art.
Rule mirror was new mirror both four spirits and rule line mirror. Yongshi five years inscription four spirits rule mirror of Western Han in Luoyang, Henan to be unearthed, four spirits rule mirror had been popular. But a period of full bloom was in New Mang. Wang inscription four spirits rule mirror and Shangfang Yujing inscription four spirits rule mirror were matter in Wang Mang emperor that carried out Six Guan, Five Jun policy, in it the twelve earthly branches inscription direction correct, answered four hour, influenced the ten thousand thing of creation. Left green dragon, right white tiger, front rosefinch, back Xuanwu. Four spirits in heaven, correct four directions, with Yin Yang evading no lucky. Line treasure words beautiful mirror was national casting mirror.
Portray mirror and immortal-spirit’s beast mirror had many kinds in eastern Han, mould fine, every one was treasure. It was China mirror culture works in a period of full bloom. Daojia of eastern Han was very lively, bronze mirror and people living was closely with relationship, dress and make up, marriage, present, calm house etc didn’t all leave bronze mirror. The lady queen mother, the east king father, five Di Three Huang, Boya, feather person fangxiang and Heaven emolument, avoiding evil, poor and strange, lucky, nine tails fox etc treasure lucky beasts were all in bronze mirror that it was also Daojia mind developing carrier.
