What are the historical and artistic values of ancient bronze mirrors in China?

Because of its uniqueness, the ancient bronze mirrors in China are unique in the world, which has great historical and cultural value and can reflect the traditional culture of the Chinese nation. Because the ancients spent a lot of effort on making bronze mirrors, and the technology of making bronze mirrors in China is getting higher and higher, China bronze mirrors also play an important role in studying China people's ancient manufacturing technology, decorative seals and other artistic traditions.

China has a long history of making bronze mirrors. As early as the Xia Dynasty to the Shang Dynasty, there were already bronze mirrors. So far, the earliest bronze mirror unearthed may be a small bronze mirror unearthed in Qijia cultural tomb in Gansu Province. However, in the Xia Dynasty, bronze mirrors were not widely used. Not only because of the lack of production technology or productivity at that time, but also because of the ethos respected by society at that time.

In Shang Dynasty, bronze mirrors were used as sacrificial vessels, but in Zhou Dynasty, because of the limitation of the Book of Rites, bronze mirrors were a status symbol, which could not be used casually by one person. This trend continued until the Spring and Autumn Period, the Warring States Period and the Qin Dynasty. Although the bronze mirrors in Qin Dynasty are very representative, many bronze mirrors produced in Qin Dynasty were buried underground with the tomb owner because of the funeral system at that time.

In the Han Dynasty, bronze mirrors gradually entered the homes of ordinary people, and there were more and more styles and patterns. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, because of the economic prosperity at that time, the production of bronze mirrors once reached its peak. Not to mention the style, it is widely circulated. It can be said that the bronze mirrors in the Tang Dynasty occupy a very important position in the history of bronze mirrors in China. Bronze mirrors have existed in Ming and Qing dynasties. Because of the glass, the bronze mirror completed its historical mission and gradually faded out of the historical stage. Although we no longer use bronze mirrors, the ancient bronze mirrors are undoubtedly one of our historical treasures.