Mirror with Four T's, 300s BC, China, Warring States period (475-221 BC), bronze, Diameter: w. 10.4 cm (4 1/16 in.); Rim: h. 0.4 cm (1/8 in.). Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1995.281 © The Cleveland Museum of Art

he symbolic significance of the ancient Chinese mirror lies in its circular form and reflective quality that make it resemble the sun and the moon. "By the light of the sun, the world is made bright," so said a mirrorsmith. When the mirror was taken with its owner for use in the afterlife, it reflected the soul and brought eternal brightness to the next world.