On the 30th, the "Luojing Tonghua - Bronze Mirror Exhibition Unearthed in Luoyang Area" was launched at the Luoyang Museum. As a special exhibition for the New Year launched in the Year of the Tiger, the exhibition is hosted by Luoyang Museum, co-organized by Luoyang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and Luoyang Mengjin District Cultural Relics Conservation Institute, and more than 150 pieces (groups) of bronze mirrors from three units are exhibited on the spot, which is dazzling.
In ancient mainland china, people initially used the static water surface as a "mirror", and later developed to use utensils to hold water as a "mirror". With the development of the bronze manufacturing process, copper mirrors came into being. The development of copper mirrors on the mainland has gone through the initial period of Xia Shang Zhou, the peak period of development of the Warring States, Han and Tang Dynasties, and the decline period after the Song Dynasty, and finally replaced by glass mirrors in the 20th century. The reporter saw at the exhibition site that the exhibition was divided into four parts with time clues: Fanghua Chuxuan, Han Zhishaohua, Prosperous World, and Colorful Fall, which showed the four stages of development of the bronze mirror. If you are interested in the "evolutionary history" of mirrors, during the Spring Festival holiday, you can go to the exhibition hall on the second floor of Luoyang Museum to find out.
What are the highlights of the exhibition? Let's listen to the introduction of Huang Chao, director of the exhibition department of Luoyang Museum.
●Copper mirrors unearthed from the tomb of Chuanjin Village
In the exhibition hall, there is a set of large pictures, which show a total of 21 exquisitely shaped copper mirrors, which are cultural relics that may be excavated from the tomb of Jincun according to the data. Below each cultural relic, you can see their name and the museum where they are currently located, except for 1 in the Shanghai Museum, the others are currently scattered in Museums in France, Japan, Canada, Sweden and other museums.
Warring States Dragon and Phoenix Mirror
Lens engraving
Huang Chao introduced that the bronze mirror unearthed in Luoyang can be traced back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, when its casting technology and plastic arts reached a certain height. The bronze mirrors of this period tended to be standardized in shape, with two categories: round and square. There are many copper mirrors with mountain character patterns, and special craft mirrors such as inlay and through carving have appeared, while the glass-beaded copper mirrors with exotic characteristics are the witnesses of early Cultural Exchanges between China and the West.
● Han Dynasty inscription mirror means beautiful
The economy and culture of the Han Dynasty were unprecedentedly prosperous, and the bronze mirror as a daily utensil was developed unprecedentedly during the Two Han Dynasties. As the capital of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Luoyang, the degree of copper mirror manufacturing technology and commercialization has been further deepened, and the use of copper mirrors has become more popular and more lifelike.
Han Dynasty inscription mirror
Huang Chao introduced that the inscription mirror was quite popular in the Han Dynasty, with a beautiful meaning. In the "Han Zhi Shaohua" section, you can see the rich "inscriptions" on the bronze mirror, such as "Great Happiness and Wealth, Good Fortune, Long Live the Thousand Autumns, Suitable for Wine and Food" that prays for a rich and comfortable life; "Cultivate Lovesickness, Annoyance and Forgetfulness, Great Happiness and Great Happiness" that pins on the friendship of acacia; "The day has Xi, the moon has wealth, the joy is not done, the often proud, the beauty will be, the Shuser Waiter, and the Jia Shi Cheng all things" are expected to be quiet.
●Sui and Tang dynasty bronze mirrors are graceful and luxurious
The Sui and Tang dynasties were another period of great development of the mainland copper mirror manufacturing industry. At this time, the new forms, new themes and new styles of the bronze mirror are repeated, and its decoration is elegant and elegant, which shows the cultural diversity, openness and inclusiveness of the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Tang Dynasty bronze mirror
Tang Luan Bird Rui Beast Mirror
Bird Ray Beast Mirror, Mandarin Duck Ribbon Sunflower Shaped Copper Mirror, Lotus Crane Grass Pattern Sunflower Shaped Copper Mirror, Cranberry Grape Pattern Copper Mirror, Sea Beast Grape Mirror... Judging from the name alone, is it already conceivable that the decoration on the bronze mirror is intricate? In the "Prosperous and Prosperous" section, the bronze mirrors of the Sui and Tang dynasties have more surprises waiting for you to discover.
Ming Dynasty bronze mirror
●Song Dynasty bronze mirrors pay attention to practicality
Huang Chao introduced that after the Song Dynasty, the economic center of gravity shifted south, the northern manufacturing industry declined, and the copper mirror production became more practical. The bronze mirrors of the Song Dynasty unearthed in the Luoyang area are mostly flowers, showing the elegance and artistic conception of the literati who are attached to nature. The copper mirror production after the Jin Yuan is more sketchy, and in the Ming Dynasty, it is more common to see the plain mirror or the Jiyu mirror. The exhibition will run until April 30. According to the requirements of epidemic prevention and control, at present, the audience must make an appointment through the official WeChat public account of the "Luoyang Museum" to enter and visit. (Luo Bao Rong Media Luoyang Network reporter wisdom correspondent Yuan Fang text/photo/video)