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Decorated with historic figures from the former states of Wu and Yue, this mirror illustrates the rivalry between the states of Wu (around the Lake Tai basin) and Yue (around Hangzhou Bay) that eventually resulted in the defeat of Wu in 473 BCE. Its downfall became a story retold during the Han dynasty on mirrors from the Shaoxing era. <br><br>During the relatively peaceful Han dynasty, the number of bronze mirrors used in burials and as gifts increased, as less metal was used for weaponry. Previously known for sword making and having rich metal resources, places like Shaoxing in Zhejiang province became centers of mirror production.

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
f73aa63cf1376351
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
159141
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "159141",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Mirror with Deities and Kings",
    "description": "Decorated with historic figures from the former states of Wu and Yue, this mirror illustrates the rivalry between the states of Wu (around the Lake Tai basin) and Yue (around Hangzhou Bay) that eventually resulted in the defeat of Wu in 473 BCE. Its downfall became a story retold during the Han dynasty on mirrors from the Shaoxing era. <br><br>During the relatively peaceful Han dynasty, the number of bronze mirrors used in burials and as gifts increased, as less metal was used for weaponry. Previously known for sword making and having rich metal resources, places like Shaoxing in Zhejiang province became centers of mirror production.",
    "date": "100s CE",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.331",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
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    ],
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        "Metalwork"
    ],
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    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.331/1995.331_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 19.5 cm (7 11/16 in.); Overall: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.); Rim: 1 cm (3/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.331"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "159141",
    "label": "Mirror with Deities and Kings",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "159141",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Mirror with Deities and Kings",
    "description": "Decorated with historic figures from the former states of Wu and Yue, this mirror illustrates the rivalry between the states of Wu (around the Lake Tai basin) and Yue (around Hangzhou Bay) that eventually resulted in the defeat of Wu in 473 BCE. Its downfall became a story retold during the Han dynasty on mirrors from the Shaoxing era. <br><br>During the relatively peaceful Han dynasty, the number of bronze mirrors used in burials and as gifts increased, as less metal was used for weaponry. Previously known for sword making and having rich metal resources, places like Shaoxing in Zhejiang province became centers of mirror production.",
    "date": "100s CE",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.331",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79978284"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Metalwork"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.331/1995.331_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.331/1995.331_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.331/1995.331_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 19.5 cm (7 11/16 in.); Overall: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.); Rim: 1 cm (3/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.331"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "bronze",
    "tombstone": "Mirror with Deities and Kings (畫像鏡), 100s CE. China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). Bronze; diameter: 19.5 cm (7 11/16 in.); overall: 1.9 cm (3/4 in.); rim: 1 cm (3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1995.331",
    "titleInOriginalLanguage": "畫像鏡",
    "collection": "China - Han Dynasty",
    "inscriptions": [
        {
            "inscription": "Queen Mother; King Father \r\n\r\n\r\n"
        }
    ],
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Chou, Ju-hsi. <em>Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced:  cat. no. 32, pp. 48, 107, 119"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Griswold, William, Xiaofei Tian, Richard Von Glahn, Feng Zhao, S. J. Vainker, Masaaki Itakura, Jiang Wu, et al. <em>China’s Southern Paradise: Treasures from the Lower Yangzi Delta</em>. Edited by Clarissa Von Spee. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 2023.",
            "page_number": "Mentioned and Reproduced: p. 105, no. 13"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.331",
    "creditline": "Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee",
    "updatedAt": "2026-05-29 08:14:35.364000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.331/1995.331_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 159141,
    "dept": "Chinese Art",
    "coll": "China - Han Dynasty",
    "med": "bronze",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
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