A Comparative Study of Bronze Mirrors Excavated in China and Japan

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The framework of chronology of the ancient Japanese history is established on the basis of literal materials, but it is very difficult to reconstruct history of the fifth century and before, for there is almost no literature concerning these ages.What is utilized then is imported bronze mirrors cast in ancient China. No less than 1,000 mirrors were imported from China from the latter Yayoi period through the earlier Kofun period. Our theme is to know from which parts of the Chinese Continent those mirrors were imported. Focusing on the mirrors from the Shantung Peninsula and the drainage basin of the Yangtze, our field investigation was carried out. And researchers in archaeology, casing, metallurgy, and history were jointly engaged in it.We mostly examined the bronze mirrors produced in Shantung Province. Thanks to full support by the Civilization Bureau of Shantung Province, we could make a thorough investigation of both mirrors that have excavated there and mirrors that have been st … More ored in the museums. From the inland area to the peninsula of the province was occupied by Ch'i, a great power during the Warring States period, as well as such minor states as Chinan, Lu, and Tung. Yeeh with its origin to the south of the Yangtze extended its territory along the coast to the peninsula, while from the southwest part to the inland area was occupied by Ch'u. This complicated ancient political geography indicates how it was in today's Shantung Province in the ancient times.The features of the bronze mirrors that have excavated and have been stored in Shantung Province are still in the process of analysis, but so far the following results have been obtained : 1. there are a few large mirrors ; 2. there are many *** and ***, but very few *** ; 3. there is an even smaller number of **** ; 4. there are a few large mirrors also in the category of *** ; 5. there are many *** and ***, both of which were originated in Chiangnan ; 6. A single *** was found out from among the mirrors stored in the museums ; 7. there are mirrors having a hole through which a string was passed was melted down ; and 8. there are mirrors having a rectangular hole through which a string was passed. These findings are of great significance when comparing them with the mirrors from the Yayoi period to the earlier Kofun period in Japan. Less