Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 9. (Budapest, 1966)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ferenczy, László: Chinese Bronze Mirrors from the Han Period

Fig. 5. Inscription (m

ing kuang) mirror. China, Western Han period This mirror type shows the main difference in the base of the central knob : one of the principal alternatives is the base with quatrefoil (e.g. on the piece described by Bulling), while at the other, represented by our piece too, the base is joined to the ring by several parallel and arched lines. Minor differences can be observed in the finish of the S-shaped decorations, as well as in the number and shape of the birds. c) Mirror with inscription (fig. 4.). Round and thick mirror of very good quality, with a small knob. The base of the knob is alternately joint to the high, eight-arched ring with arched and straight threefold lines. Surrounded by a narrower and a wider band with slanting combteeth there is a field bearing an inscription of eight archaic characters, which are alternately separated by spirals and crossed squares: chien jih chih kuang t'ien hsia ta ming (when you see the fight of the sun, the world is very bright). The rim is plain and thick. 8.1 cm in diameter, the mirror is of a , lacquered" (hei ch'i ku) greyish black surface; its casting is excellent. Mirrors of this type are rather frequent in graves of the Western Han period and are also named ch'ing pai („pure white") mirrors on account of two characters to be found often on them. By way of analogy we may mention a piece of the Hallwyl Museum

19 and the mirror described by Swallow.

20 According to Bulling these mirrors are characteristic of the 1st century B.C. The small archaic knob, the straight and arched lines (which she believes 19 Hallwylska Sämlingen, Östasiatiska smabronser. Grupp XLIX, I: E. 12., 13., 14. 20 Sicallow : op. cit. Pl. 28., 29.