Bronze is an alloy whose chief elements are copper, tin and lead. Tradi- tion ascribes the first casting of bronze to the legendary Xia dynasty of 5000 years ago.

Shang dynasty bronzes are marvellous specimens, often fabulously pat- terned with taotie, a type of fierce animal design. Zhou dynasty bronze vessels tend to have long messages in ideographic characters; they describe wars, rewards, ceremonial events and the appointment of officials.

Bronze mirrors had already developed into an artistic form by the Warring States period. Ceramics gradually replaced bronze utensils by Han times, but bronze mirrors were not displaced by glass mirrors until the Qing dynasty. The backs of bronze mirrors were inscribed with wishes for good fortune and protection from evil influence.

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