This exquisite Song/Jin Dynasty bronze mirror (c. 960–1234 AD) is not only a functional grooming object but a powerful talisman for domestic blessing. The reverse features a high-relief narrative scene of a scholar and attendant in a landscape, accompanied by the auspicious four-character inscription "五男二女" (Five Sons and Two Daughters).

This specific inscription marks the mirror as a "Marriage or Fertility Mirror," likely given as a wedding gift or held by a matriarch to ensure the prosperity of the family line. The casting remains sharp, allowing the individual characters and the architectural details of the pavilion to be clearly visible despite centuries of authentic patina.

• Inscribed Text: 五男二女 (Auspicious blessing for a large, successful family)

• Design: Narrative "Scholar in Landscape" with Pavilion and River

• Period: Song to Jin Dynasty (10th–13th Century)

• Patina: Deep chocolate bronze with malachite green (verdigris) highlights

• Dimensions: ~2.85" Diameter; 2.4 oz

Reference Citation (Updated)

Book Title: Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors

Author: Ju-hsi Chou

Reference: Page 84 (Discussing the "Auspicious Inscriptions" and the "Five Sons, Two Daughters" motif in Song dynasty decorative arts).

Item dimensions: 0.25" tall × 2 7/8" diameter

Weight of item: 2.4 oz

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