Square cast bronze mirror with a Chinese poem in raised characters. The inscription in clerical script reads 方正而明，萬里無塵。水天一色，犀照群倫, which is an idiom to remind civil officials to be fair and honest so that the people they rule can lead a better life. Also a square seal of the maker, 'made by Xue Jin Hou'. Originally held in a carved wood frame, which is now missing.
These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.
The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.
If you have any further information about objects in our collections, can suggest corrections to our information or if you see content requiring immediate action, please contact us: enquiry@horniman.ac.uk
