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Depicted on the mirror back are two Daoist deities: the King Father of the East (Dongwanggong) and the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu). Completing the design are the White Tiger of the west (one the Four Spirits representing the four cardinal directions, including the Green Dragon of the east, the Red Bird of the south, and the Dark Warrior of the north) and a chariot drawn by three horses. The reason for the redundancy of two symbolic images relating to the west is not known.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
1c4ef7abae5d758a
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
159142
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
{
    "id": "159142",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Mirror with Deities, Chariot, and the White Tiger",
    "description": "Depicted on the mirror back are two Daoist deities: the King Father of the East (Dongwanggong) and the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu). Completing the design are the White Tiger of the west (one the Four Spirits representing the four cardinal directions, including the Green Dragon of the east, the Red Bird of the south, and the Dark Warrior of the north) and a chariot drawn by three horses. The reason for the redundancy of two symbolic images relating to the west is not known.",
    "date": "100–200 CE",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.332",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q60745579"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Metalwork"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 18.3 cm (7 3/16 in.); Overall: 1.7 cm (11/16 in.); Rim: 0.9 cm (3/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.332"
}

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Document identity
{
    "localId": "159142",
    "label": "Mirror with Deities, Chariot, and the White Tiger",
    "core": "obj",
    "dtoType": "object"
}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "159142",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Mirror with Deities, Chariot, and the White Tiger",
    "description": "Depicted on the mirror back are two Daoist deities: the King Father of the East (Dongwanggong) and the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu). Completing the design are the White Tiger of the west (one the Four Spirits representing the four cardinal directions, including the Green Dragon of the east, the Red Bird of the south, and the Dark Warrior of the north) and a chariot drawn by three horses. The reason for the redundancy of two symbolic images relating to the west is not known.",
    "date": "100–200 CE",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.332",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q60745579"
    ],
    "genreSpecific": [
        "Metalwork"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 18.3 cm (7 3/16 in.); Overall: 1.7 cm (11/16 in.); Rim: 0.9 cm (3/8 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)"
    ],
    "accession": "1995.332"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "bronze",
    "tombstone": "Mirror with Deities, Chariot, and the White Tiger (書畫鏡), 100–200 CE. China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE). Bronze; diameter: 18.3 cm (7 3/16 in.); overall: 1.7 cm (11/16 in.); rim: 0.9 cm (3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1995.332",
    "titleInOriginalLanguage": "書畫鏡",
    "collection": "China - Han Dynasty",
    "didYouKnow": "The meaning of the complex imagery on this mirror's back is not fully understood.",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Chou, Ju-hsi. <em>Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors</em>. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: cat. no. 33, pp. 48-49, 107, 119"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1995.332",
    "creditline": "Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-17 11:19:44.959000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 159142,
    "dept": "Chinese Art",
    "coll": "China - Han Dynasty",
    "med": "bronze",
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
{
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    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1995.332/1995.332_web.jpg",
    "mediaId": "1c4ef7abae5d758a"
}