Mirror with figure of Boya Yu playing the qin
- Date
-
制作年 AD8
- Title
- ハクガダンキンキョウ
- Materials, techniques and shape
- Bronze
- Collections
- Century Akao Collection
- Depository
- Keio Museum Commons Campus Mita
This mirror shows the image of a person playing the qin (a large, horizontal string instrument resembling the Japanese koto). Although it is called “Mirror with figure of Boya Yu playing the qin” in Japan, it is called by the name “ZhenziFeishuangMirror” in China. This name can be interpreted as “Mirror with truth seeker playing the qin,” following the inscription at the center. “Feishuang” was an ancient qin tune, but there are two additional characters here which most likely refer to the “path seeker or trainee” in Taoism. Mirrors and the qin were very important in Taoism as they were believed to ward off evil spirits while ushering seekers into the Taoist heaven. Boya, on the other hand, was a master qin player of the ancient Spring and Autumn Period. The story goes that he had a close friend named Zhong Ziqi, and after Ziqi’s death, Boya broke his qin and stopped playing altogether as no one else would understand his music. Although there is no evidence that the qin player on this mirror is indeed Boya, his name is deeply associated with qin playing. This may be why the Japanese gave the name “Mirror with figure of Boya Yu playing the qin” to this mirror.
Overview
Rights
Depository and ID
Components
OPEN DATADESIGN
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Details
Identifiers
- Title (EN)
- Mirror with figure of Boya Yu playing the qin
Physical description
- Weights and quantities
-
Quantity 1面
- Attachments
- 拓本
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