Bronze Mirror of the Tang Dynasty 唐镜

唐代是中国古代铜镜制造的鼎盛时期。与汉镜的神秘、神化相比，唐镜的世俗气息更为浓厚，给人以富丽堂皇、大气厚重、清新活泼的感觉。在造型、纹饰、铸造工艺方面都达到了前所未有的高度。
The Tang Dynasty witnessed a booming development in bronze mirrors. Compared to the Han mirrors which were full of mystery and holiness, the Tang Mirrors assumed a rich flavor of life in a magnificent, decorous and lively style. Techniques of casting bronze mirrors with delicate shapes and decorations and casting reached an unprecedented height.

唐镜纹饰的构图更加活泼自由，多运用散点式，与战国以来的构图程式化截然不同。画面更具有装饰性，丰富而又精彩。纹饰的主题内容也与汉代不同，原来镜面上常见的神仙异兽全部消失，充满大自然和生活气息的花鸟、花卉、枝叶植物出场了，神秘气息被生活气息取代，图案让人感到优美而轻松，一些纯艺术化的图案如宝相花、团花也被创造了出来，铜镜的工艺性质增加了不少，实用性退居其次。
The decorations on the Tang Dynasty mirrors mainly featured a multi-point composition, which made them look more lively and decorative, compared to the decorations on the mirrors of the Warring States Period and following dynasties in a completely different way. The themes of the decorations were also different from those of the Han Dynasty. Instead of gods and auspicious animals, patterns of birds, flowers, grass and trees began to occupy a prominent position, which looked elegant and casual. Some artistic patterns such as composite flowers and ball flowers were created. The elegant patterns made bronze mirrors more artistic than practical.
在造型形制上，流行了几千年的圆形镜，在唐代变得多姿多彩，一扫沉闷单调的形象，出现了葵花、菱花、亚字形、六角、八角等花式镜，而且带柄手镜也出现了。
The Tang Dynasty bronze mirrors also featured a variety of shapes. Besides the round pattern, there were new patterns like the sunflower pattern, rhombus pattern and sunflower pattern, sexangular pattern, and octagonal pattern, etc. Even mirrors with handles also appeared.
唐镜的铭文也变成了风花雪月的浅吟低唱，诗意盎然，多为通过赞美镜子来描绘梳妆与美丽。诗一样的铭文正是盛唐文化繁荣的亮丽剪影。
Inscriptions on the Tang Dynasty mirrors also become romantic and poetic, mostly describing dressing and beauty through the praise of mirrors. Poetic inscriptions also indicated the prosperous Tang culture.
铸造工艺上，唐镜的青铜合金中锡的成分增多，镜面颜色净白如银，映像更加清晰。金银平脱螺钿和贴金贴银等特种工艺出现。
As for the casting technique, the bronze mirrors of the Tang Dynasty were as pure as silver with more tin in the raw materials. Special techniques such as gold and silver inlay, mother-of-pearl inlay, gold or silver plating also appeared.
金银平脱是把金片、银片剪裁成所需要的纹样，贴在填满胶漆的镜背上，然后髹漆数重，待干后再加以细细研磨，使贴上去的金银片与漆面平齐，露出金闪闪、银灿灿的纹饰。
Gold and silver inlay refers to a kind of technique that involves cutting a thin sheet of gold or silver into the required shapes, and sticking them to the back of a mirror which is filled with lacquer; then many layers of lacquer are applied to the surface, and grinding the lacquer after it becomes dried until the gold and silver sheet is flush with the layer of lacquer. In this way, the gold and silver sheet will appear in sparkling and beautiful patterns.
唐代最具特色的镜子是瑞兽葡萄纹镜，这种镜形制多样，主题纹饰为瑞兽禽鸟和葡萄枝蔓。
The most characteristic and representative bronze mirrors of the Tang Dynasty are the ones decorated with auspicious animals with grape vines. These mirrors appear in various shapes and are mainly decorated with auspicious animals and birds, along with grape vines.