Cleveland Museum of Art
Mirror with Four T's
- Date
- 300s BCE
- Medium
- bronze
- Culture
- China, Warring States period (475–221 BCE)
- Department
- Chinese Art
- Institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
The symbolic significance of the ancient Chinese mirror lies in its circular form and reflective quality that make it resemble the sun and the moon. "By the light of the sun, the world is made bright," so said a mirrorsmith. When the mirror was taken with its owner for use in the afterlife, it reflected the soul and brought eternal brightness to the next world. The prominent T's on this mirror represent four gates in Chinese mythology that relate to transformation.
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