A Shinjū-kyō (神獣鏡, "deity and beast mirror") is an ancient type of Japanese round bronze mirror decorated with images of gods and animals from Chinese mythology. The obverse side has a polished mirror and the reverse has relief representations of legendary Chinese shén (神 "spirit; god"), xiān (仙 "transcendent; immortal"), and legendary creatures.
Sankakuen-shinjūkyō from the Tsubai Ōtsukayama kofun in Yamashiro, Kyoto
The shinjū-kyō style of bronze mirror originated from the Chinese magic mirrors and was frequently produced during the Han dynasty, Three Kingdoms, and Six Dynasties (1st–6th centuries CE). With the spread of Chinese bronze casting technology, shinjūkyō were also produced in Japan and the Lelang Commandery and Daifang Commandery in the Korean peninsula. The c. 297Wei zhi (魏志 "Records of Wei"), which is part of the Records of the Three Kingdoms (三國志), has the first historical reference to bronze mirrors in Japan. It chronicles tributary relations between Queen Himiko of Wa and the Wei court, and records that in 239, Emperor Cao Rui sent presents to Himiko, including "one hundred bronze mirrors".[1]
Variationsedit
Archeological excavations of Japanese tombs from the Kofun period (3rd–7th centuries) have revealed numerous shinjūkyō, and Japanese archeologists divide them into subtypes including:
sankakuen-shinjūkyō (三角縁神獣鏡, "triangular-rimmed deity and beast mirror")
gamontai-shinjūkyō (画文帯神獣鏡, "wide image-band deity and beast mirror")
hirabuchi-shinjūkyō (平縁神獣鏡, "flat-rimmed deity and beast mirror")
Kurotsuka kofun tomb excavated in Nara Prefecture contained 33 sankakuen-shinjūkyō bronze mirrors. Some scholars[2][3][4] believe they are the original mirrors that Emperor Cao Rui presented to Queen Himiko, but others disagree.
Edwards, Walter (1998). "Mirrors to Japanese History". Archaeology. 51 (3).
Edwards, Walter (1999). "Mirrors on Ancient Yamato: The Kurozuka Kofun Discovery and the Question of Yamatai". Monumenta Nipponica. 54 (1): 75–110. doi:10.2307/2668274. JSTOR 2668274.
Nishikawa, Toshikatsu (1999). . Nihon Kōgaku. 8: 87–99. Archived from the original on 2011-01-31.
Goodrich, Carrington C., ed. (1951). Japan in the Chinese Dynastic Histories: Later Han Through Ming Dynasties. Translated by Tsunoda, Ryūsaku. South Pasadena, California: P. D. and Ione Perkins.
External linksedit
(in Japanese) 7号鏡 神人龍虎画像鏡 2007-11-12 at the Wayback Machine, Shinjūkyō picturing a transcendent, dragon, and tiger, Kobe Archeology Center (click image for navigation)
(in Japanese) , Sankakuen- shinjūkyō from the Yoshinogari site, Kyoto University Museum
January 01, 1970
shinju, shinjū, kyō, 神獣鏡, deity, beast, mirror, ancient, type, japanese, round, bronze, mirror, decorated, with, images, gods, animals, from, chinese, mythology, obverse, side, polished, mirror, reverse, relief, representations, legendary, chinese, shén, spiri. A Shinju kyō 神獣鏡 deity and beast mirror is an ancient type of Japanese round bronze mirror decorated with images of gods and animals from Chinese mythology The obverse side has a polished mirror and the reverse has relief representations of legendary Chinese shen 神 spirit god xian 仙 transcendent immortal and legendary creatures Sankakuen shinjukyō from the Tsubai Ōtsukayama kofun in Yamashiro Kyoto Contents 1 History 2 Variations 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksHistory editThe shinju kyō style of bronze mirror originated from the Chinese magic mirrors and was frequently produced during the Han dynasty Three Kingdoms and Six Dynasties 1st 6th centuries CE With the spread of Chinese bronze casting technology shinjukyō were also produced in Japan and the Lelang Commandery and Daifang Commandery in the Korean peninsula The c 297 Wei zhi 魏志 Records of Wei which is part of the Records of the Three Kingdoms 三國志 has the first historical reference to bronze mirrors in Japan It chronicles tributary relations between Queen Himiko of Wa and the Wei court and records that in 239 Emperor Cao Rui sent presents to Himiko including one hundred bronze mirrors 1 Variations editArcheological excavations of Japanese tombs from the Kofun period 3rd 7th centuries have revealed numerous shinjukyō and Japanese archeologists divide them into subtypes including sankakuen shinjukyō 三角縁神獣鏡 triangular rimmed deity and beast mirror gamontai shinjukyō 画文帯神獣鏡 wide image band deity and beast mirror hirabuchi shinjukyō 平縁神獣鏡 flat rimmed deity and beast mirror Kurotsuka kofun tomb excavated in Nara Prefecture contained 33 sankakuen shinjukyō bronze mirrors Some scholars 2 3 4 believe they are the original mirrors that Emperor Cao Rui presented to Queen Himiko but others disagree See also editChinese magic mirror TLV mirror Yata no KagamiReferences edit Goodrich 1951 p 15 Edwards 1998 Edwards 1999 Nishikawa 1999 Bibliography editEdwards Walter 1998 Mirrors to Japanese History Archaeology 51 3 Edwards Walter 1999 Mirrors on Ancient Yamato The Kurozuka Kofun Discovery and the Question of Yamatai Monumenta Nipponica 54 1 75 110 doi 10 2307 2668274 JSTOR 2668274 Nishikawa Toshikatsu 1999 Sankakubuchi shinjukyo Triangular rimmed mirrors and the Mirrors Presented to Himiko Nihon Kōgaku 8 87 99 Archived from the original on 2011 01 31 Goodrich Carrington C ed 1951 Japan in the Chinese Dynastic Histories Later Han Through Ming Dynasties Translated by Tsunoda Ryusaku South Pasadena California P D and Ione Perkins External links edit in Japanese 7号鏡 神人龍虎画像鏡 Archived 2007 11 12 at the Wayback Machine Shinjukyō picturing a transcendent dragon and tiger Kobe Archeology Center click image for navigation in Japanese 三角縁神獣鏡 Sankakuen shinjukyō from the Yoshinogari site Kyoto University Museum Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Shinju kyo amp oldid 1221081295, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
