An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
An ancient hand mirror is displayed in Luoyang, Henan Province. /CGTN
The oldest known hand mirrors crafted from polished bronze date from over 2,000 years ago. By the time of the Tang Dynasty some 700 years later, they had not only become more popular, but had also assumed a greater significance than as mere objects of vanity. As the shapes and decorations of mirrors evolved, so did their symbolic meaning, and they came to represent perfection, fortune and unity. As such, they were often given as wedding gifts and even as tokens of friendship to foreign dignitaries.