<Articles>Ancient Mirrors and Their Relationship to Early Japanese Culture

日本上古の遺跡より発見される中国の古鏡は、前漢時代では主として北九州に限られているが、西暦紀元前後の鏡からはその数量が多くなると共に、同地域のみならず、中国・四国の瀬戸内側より畿内地方に広く分布して後漢三国代のものになると、畿内での出土品が夥しい数量に上るのである。この類は更に東の方中部日本より関東地方からも見出される。それ等と共に畿内地方で優れた仿製鏡が鋳造されて、これ等の殆んどすべては特色ある古式古墳に副葬されているのである。 従来見出された千面を超える夥しい各時代の鏡に就いて見ると、漢中期より後漢を通じての出土鏡は、総じて舶載以後愛重伝世したことをそれ自体の著しい図紋の手なれで認められるものである。またこの種の鏡式の畿内出土の仿製品にも優れたもののあるのが認められる。次に後漢末から三国代の畿内地方に夥しい鏡－例えば画象鏡、三角緑神獣鏡などには同笵所鋳の鏡が少くなく、その類の一括して同時に彼土から同地に齎されたのを示唆する。これは中国の正史に伝える記事と表裏するとこである。而して是等の鏡が大和朝廷の特色あるまた既に一定の型をとつた高塚に副葬されていて、その副葬のエ合たるや一墳に数多い点で、他の国土での単な、のる姿見としての副葬の様相とは違うている。 そうすると鏡から推されるこのような古墳の営まれた、三四世紀の時代には、畿内に於いて大和朝の形成が既に出来上つて、発展えの段階に逹していたことになる。同時にそれに至る過程は当初鏡が大陸から伝えられた北九州より、漢中期以降の鏡の多くが畿内に齎されて伝存する間にあつたと見るべきで、また各鏡式の通じての分布の示すところこれに重要な示唆を与えるものがあるのである。Chinese bronze mirrors from the Early Han Dynasty have been found in large number in Northern Kyûshû. Mirrors dating to the period around the turn of the Christian Era have been recovered in even more extensive numbers and have come to light at sites in Northern Kyûshû, along the Inland Sea Coast of Chûgoku and Shikoku, and Kinai District. Recovery sites of the majority of mirrors dating from the Later Han Dynasty and the "Three Kingdoms" Period are centered in Kinai District, and extend further east to the Tôkai and even to the Kantô. Together with these imported mirrors, a number of Bôsei-kyô 仿製鏡, mirrors cast in Japan in imitation of Chinese mirrors which were exported to this country, have come to light at sites. In Kinai District, many Bôseikyô were exquisitely cast and mostly found in Koshiki-Kofun 古式古墳 (Old-style burial tumuli). More than 1000 ancient mirrors have come to light in Japan and those of Mid- and Later Han have been treasured and passed on to succeeding generations. This conclusion is based on the fact that the patterns of the mirrors seem to have been worn down as a result of continued handling. Many of the Sankakuen-shiûju-kyô and Gazô-kyô of the Later Han and the "Three King-doms" Period were frequently unearthed at the burial mounds in the Kinai District. Some of them were clearly made from a single mould. It may be conjectured with some confidence that mirrors produced from the same mould were brought to Japan either together or at the same time. This conclusion is substantiated by accounts in Chinese official histories. It is frquently reported that many mirrors have been found in a single burial container of tumulus. This fact, together with the manner of treating of those mirrors in the burial site, suggests that mirrors in Japan were never regarded as simple objects for daily use. The mirrors recovered from these tumuli show that the burial sites may be assigned dates no more specific than the third and fourth centuries. We may assume with confidence that the Yamato Court was already established and flourising in the Kinai District when those burial tumuli were constructed. The geographical distribution of the recovery sites of the mirrors provides us with evidences of the gradual infiltration of Chinese culture into Japan in ancient times