The Huaxi華西 Type Mirrors and Wudoumidao五斗米道

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Other Title
  • 華西系鏡群と五斗米道
  • カ ニシケイキョウグン ト ゴトベイドウ

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Description

The Huaxi type mirrors belong to the one group of the Late Han Mirrors 後漢鏡. They have unique designs and inscriptions, which are distinctive in the Mirrors with figures of deities on three stages 三段式神仙鏡. From the archaeological point of view, through the typological classification, the analysis of the spatial distribution and the study of their designs, I made clear that these mirrors emerged in Sichuan 四川area in the middle of the 2nd century, moved to Shanxi 陝西area in the late 2nd century, and disappeared in the first 3rd century. These movements correspond well to the historical activities of Wudoumidao. From the iconographical study and the comparison with the scriptures of Taoism, I identified the some figures of the Mirrors with figures of deities on three stages as the Dipper Mother斗母and her holy nine children who became the Divines of the Polestar and Seven Stars. They also are the important Divines of Taoism. This proves the relationship between the Huaxi type mirrors and Wudoumidao. Though there are several issues about that identification, I think that the Huaxi type mirrors as the most important materials for studying the faith and the history of Wudoumidao.

Journal

  • 東方學報

    東方學報 87 486-450, 2012-12-10

    Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University

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