Page 76 - April 4 2017 Pavillion Sale Christies HK

82 Continued

The decorations found on Chinese bronze mirrors are closely related to the cultural,
religious and historical context of their periods. During the Tang dynasty, the casting of
bronze mirrors was taken to new heights, bringing more elaborate designs that reflect
the cosmopolitan nature of Tang society. One example which testifies to such technical
dexterity and artistic sophistication is the ‘mythical animals and grapes’ mirror.

The combination of mythical beasts and grapes is one of the most classic design
adorning the backs of Tang mirrors. The emergence of this motif can be associated with
Manichaeism, the religious belief commonly practiced by the Sogdian communities
trading along the Silk Road, which was introduced into China around the reign of Emperor
Gaozong (r. 649-683). Mythical sea creatures and grapes had special significance in
Manichean iconography. Thus following the growing popularity of Manichaeism in China
during the mid-Tang era, these two motifs gained prominence in bronze mirror design.

Due to the complexity of the design, in which many of the mythical animals are very
difficult to be identified, Japanese scholars have whimsically coined the term ‘Mirror of
Enigma’ when referring to this group of ‘mythical animals and grapes’ mirrors.

Mirrors of this type usually vary between 10 to 20 cm. in diameter. The current mirror, with
a diameter of 26 cm., represents one of the largest of its type. The depiction of peacocks
in the outer band of this mirror is also rarely found amongst related examples. The only
other published bronze mirror with a nearly identical design is in the collection of Tadashi
Sengoku, illustrated by Junko Namba in Chugoku ōchō no, Himeji, 2004, No. 72, which
weighs 3,145 grams and measures 26.4 cm. in diameter. It may also be compared to a
slightly smaller mirror with a more typical ‘lion and grapevine’ design in the Sumitomo
Collection, illustrated in Sen-oku hakuko kan : Sumitomo Collection, Kyoto, 2004, No. 113.

中國各朝古銅鏡鏡背裝飾一直受社會環境、文化意識所影響。而鑄鏡技術在唐代無可
置疑地登上高鋒。海獸葡萄鏡則盛於唐高宗（649-683年在位）到玄宗（712-756年在
位）年間。此鏡呈圓形，高浮雕，附蟾蜍鈕，取意鏡如滿月，月中有蟾蜍之意。鏡面
雕飾分三部分：內圈有海馬、天祿、辟邪等靈獸繞鈕奔馳，中間一圈蜻蜓、蝴蝶，而
外圈則見有鸞、鳳、戴勝、孔雀四對禽鳥。葡萄枝蔓環繞獸身，空隙之處花葉片片紋
飾繁縟華麗，細緻生動，光澤流熒。

據載，摩尼教為粟特人信奉的宗教之一。唐代絲路貿易發達，經絲路來華經商的粟特
人遂於唐初高宗年間將摩尼教傳入中國。由於海獸和葡萄在教中具有特殊意義，而隨
著摩尼教在中國的發展，海獸葡萄鏡的使用也日益廣泛，之後更成為唐代最重要的鏡
類。與此同時，海馬與葡萄實原為海外之物，《漢書》載張騫通西域時，帶回烏孫寶
馬，還帶回苜蓿和葡萄，苜蓿宜於餵馬，葡萄則可造酒。由於銅鏡上有許多神獸難以
辨認，加上許多外來文化的元素，因而日本學者又稱海獸葡萄鏡為「多謎之鏡」。

現存唐代海獸葡萄紋鏡的尺寸多間於10至20公分。此鏡直徑逾26公分，為同類中最大
者之一。此鏡鏡體厚重，銅質精良，尤其是其中的孔雀紋飾，則更少見。紋飾近乎
相同並經出版的例子似僅有千石唯司珍藏一例，見《中国王朝の 》，姬路市，2004
年，編號72，直徑26.4公分，重3,145克。另可參考日本泉屋博古館所藏紋飾組合較為
簡略的一例，直徑24.4公分，重2,328克，半圓鈕，載於《泉屋博古．鏡鑑編》，京
都，2004年，編號113。

74