National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This ornamental mirror measures 22.6 centimeters (approx. 8.90 inches) in diameter, 8 millimeters (approx. 0.31 inches) in thickness at its rim, and 9 millimeters (approx. 0.35 inches) in thickness at its knob. It is an example of a painted mirror, bearing colors that had been painted on after casting. Currently, pigments of five colors have been identified on it. The mirror bears an inner decorative band surrounded by two concentric indented bands, around which a thicker, main decorative band wraps. Both decorative bands are divided into four segments by circular knobs. Dragon-like motifs fill the inner band, while the main decorative band features trees, white horses, and various figures. Optical analysis has, however, shown that most of them were added on at a later date; the original mirror featured only the motifs in the inner band, as well as the horse legs and trees in the outer band.

We currently know of around thirty such painted mirrors from the Chinese Warring States period to the Han dynasty (475 BCE–220 CE). Some have turned up in Japan as well, such as a large 27.3-centimeter (approx. 10.74 inches) example that was discovered in a Yayoi-period (ca. 4th century BCE–4th century CE) jar coffin at the Mikumo-minamishōji site in Itoshima, Fukuoka. The object pictured was allegedly unearthed in the village of Jin in Luoyang, China, and even though a number of its embellishments were not part of the original mirror, it nevertheless provides useful insight into what a complete painted mirror might have looked like.