Bronze painted mirror Back

A large number of mirrors with handles appeared in the Song and Jin period. This made them easier to carry and avoided the limitations of past mirrors that needed a stand or needed to be hung. The mirror user would face the mirror and get dressed. When the user was finished with the mirror, it would be put in a designated mirror box to prevent the bronze surface from oxidizing. The simple handle revolutionized the way in which mirrors were used, and was also a symbol of the development of ceremony and propriety in ancient China. The painting on the mirror is original and depicted life in the city at that time.