This round mirror has a long
handle, which represents an innovation of the Sung dynasty. The mirror back is decorated
in low relief with seven figures, depicting the story Tou Yen-shan, his wife, and their
five playing children. The edge of the mirror has a raised border, and the handle is
decorated with lotus flowers and leaves. Tou Yen-shan lived during the Latter Chou
(951-960) of the Five Dynasties period, and his five children in the late Five Dynasties
and early Sung all passed the civil service examinations, the key to success in imperial
China. This subject, thus, is an auspicious blessing for successful descendants. The poses and actions of the figures are
lively and fully express the innocent joy of children playing. Unlike the decorative
motifs used for mirrors of the T'ang dynasty, Sung mirrors often have scenes rendered like
those in paintings. Although the quality of the bronze and designs are not as fine as
those in the T'ang, the lively decoration of Sung mirrors is worth noting and gives them a
down-to-earth quality. |
