The National Museum of Korea puts its collection of Goryeo-period bronze mirrors, including the latest discoveries, on exhibition. Under the five categories, the exhibition is designed to introduce the genesis of Goryeo bronze mirrors as well as the life and culture of the Goryeo period reflected in them.

 

A notable characteristic of Goryeo Bronze Mirrors: The Reflection of Life is that the exhibition features some epoch-making recent findings that could require the chronicle of bronze mirrors to be revisited. In particular, the fish-pattern bronze mirror excavated in Chudong-ri, Seocheon was wrapped in one of the five bundles of paper, mukseojipyeon. The papers that wrapped the mirror are estimated to be a kind of document on account of some legible letters written on it such as gihae (a name of time frame), joyeon (a person’s name), and gyeong. Other relics found along with the fish-pattern bronze mirror include ancient Chinese coins called Chongningzhongbao (1102-1106), and celadon ware that was used until the 11th or 12th century. Thus gihae is presumed to be a time period either in 1119 or in 1179. The Chudong-ri bronze mirror is a valuable source of information for future studies as it is the only case where the production year can be estimated.

 

 

 

 

Bronze Mirror, Goryeo