About the Title

Ancient mirrors are supposed to have magic power to protect their owners from evil. They are believed to make hidden spirits visible and reveal the secrets of futurity.

Ch'in Shih Huang, the first Emperor of the Chin dynasty, A.D. 255, was credited with the possession of a magic mirror, which had the power of reflecting the inward parts of those who looked upon it.

Li Shih-min, A.D. 597-649, the second Emperor of the T'ang dynasty, is recorded to have remarked, "By using a mirror of brass you may see to adjust your cap; by using antiquity as a mirror, you may learn to foresee the rise and fall of Empires."

Encyclopedia of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives
C. A. S. Williams, New York: Julian Press, 1960.

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This page last updated on: Jan 8 1996