The bronze mirror, like its modern glass counterpart, was a household article of daily use in which to look at oneself. Its obverse side is so smoothly polished that it can reflect the image of the user's face. The reverse side is often cast with a knob and decorations, so it is also an art object. Most of the authentic bronze mirrors are finds from ancient tombs; some have been handed down from generation to generation in old families.
Our ancestors started to use bronze mirrors in as early as the 11th century B.C. During the Warring States period, bronze mirrors prevailed among the populace. The front side of the mirrors, after being polished, glistens while the backside is embellished with single-layered or double-layered patterns, among which the commonly seen are those of animal faces, flowers and leaves, dragons and phoenixes.
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