タイトル
狻猊文鏡 さんげいもんきょう
Mirror with design of six lions and inscriptions.
サイズ
径15.2㎝ 縁厚0.6㎝
Diameter 15.2 cm, frame width 0.6 cm
制作年
初唐
Early Tang
概要
花弁装飾をもつ鈕を中心として、六体の狻猊（獅子に似た霊獣）が向き合う鏡である。一段高くなった外区の銘帯には、楷書体で「明齊秋月質圓等天若珠璧之澄光采如素月之無雲煙照□情無盡明兮意自然」とあり、月の清々しい輝きに喩えながら鏡の清らかさを謳う。中国における鏡製作は、質、量ともに唐代に最盛期を迎えた。国際色豊かな文化を反映するように、当時の鏡には西方伝来の獅子に由来する狻猊や葡萄唐草文など、前代の鏡にはみられないモチーフが多用された。初唐期のこの鏡では、霊獣を好む漢代以来の伝統を継承しつつ、楷書による詩文や、西方伝来のモチーフを採用する点に、新たな展開をみせていくその萌芽を見て取ることができる。関根吉郎率いる「中米探査隊」により採取された資料である。
Centered on a crown with a petal ornament, this is a mirror depicting six divine creatures resembling lions facing each other. Inscribed on the outer rim at the back of the mirror that is higher than elsewhere are words describing the beauty of the bright harvest moon, advocating the purity of the mirror by comparing it to the refreshing brilliance of the moon. Mirror production in China was at its peak in terms of both quality and quantity during the Tang dynasty. As if to reflect a richly international culture, the mirrors of those times adopted many motifs, such as mythical lions that originated from the animal of the West, and grape leaves, neither of which were found in the mirrors of previous dynasties. This mirror, made in the early Tang dynasty, succeeds the tradition that has fancied the use of divine creatures since the Han dynasty. However, through the use of inscribing poetry in the standard square printing style as well as the adoption of motif originating in the West, this mirror is showing the budding of new developments. This mirror was collected by the Central America Expedition led by Yoshiro Sekine.
