“Qianqiu” lobed bronze mirror decorated with auspicious flowers and prancing phoenixes, middle Tang dynasty, 8th century

“Qianqiu” lobed bronze mirror decorated with auspicious flowers and prancing phoenixes, middle Tang dynasty, 8th century

• Image Number: C1A000352N000000000PAB
• Dynasty: Tang dynasty
• Category: Bronzes
• Function: Household appliance
• Material: Mineral/Metal/Bronze
• Description:
  Eight petal sunflower shaped mirror with hemispherical button. On both sides of the button is a phoenix with spreading wings. Above the button is a Baoxiang flower. Below the button is a lotus flower. The square below the flower is inscribed with the words “thousand” and “autumn”. The outer area is slightly higher, and the square mining area and the holding branch birds are arranged alternately. In the 17th year of the Kaiyuan era (729), Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty designated his birthday as the Qianqiu Festival. He once wrote a poem entitled “Give mirrors to officials on the Qianqiu Festival”, which said, “If you cast mirrors for Qianqiu, the light will produce gold. After you give them to the group, you will see a clear heart when you meet an elephant. The ice on the platform is clear, and the moon is in the window. You will hold a long ribbon and pay attention to it.” In the second year of Tianbao (743), the “Qianqiu Festival” was changed to “Tianchang Festival”, so the mirror should be cast between 729 and 743 AD.