Revealing the secret of the “magic” mirror reflecting the image of Amitabha Buddha

In the minds of many visitors who have visited the Cincinnati Art Museum in the US, the antique mirror from China does not have an outstanding appearance. But recently, researchers discovered it was an amazing and mysterious artifact.

Dr. Sung Hou-mei, Director of East Asian Art of the Art Museum Cincinnati, was studying ancient works of art that the Ohio museum had collected since 1961.

Then she turned her attention to a mirror dating back about 600 years. Its most notable feature is the Chinese characters embossed on the back of the mirror, inscribed with the name Amitabha Buddha.

Experts say the reason “magic mirrors” are so rare is because of the difficulty in manufacturing. In a UNESCO article, a mirror was described as made from copper and engraved on the back. The light-reflecting surface is convex and polished. Finally, the maker covers it with a liquid made from mercury to highlight the image.

When holding the mirror up to the light at the right angle, the copper reflects the light, revealing a secret image like Buddha. Amitabha in the case of appearing at the Cincinnati Art Museum as mentioned above.   

After the secret was discovered, the mirror was put on display at the museum from July 23 to welcome visitors to admire it.