Chapter 14 Section 3 Gold, Silver and Silk in the Currency System of the Tang Dynasty

The currency system of the Tang Dynasty is a diversified type.Tongbao coins are the main ones, and gold, silver, silk and grain are used at the same time.Gold and silver were still regarded as treasures of wealth, and rewards and gifts of bribes were also used.For example, during the Kaiyuan and Zhenguan years, soldiers and ministers were rewarded with gold and silver many times.There were many gold-producing areas in the Tang Dynasty. The "New Tang Book" listed 73 prefectures producing gold. In addition, a large amount of gold flowed in from land and sea.In the early Tang Dynasty, silver was commonly used as currency in Lingnan area.Gold and silver in the Tang Dynasty used taels as the monetary unit, and were mostly cast into cake collars and other shapes for use, and the coins were marked with words.In the late mid-Tang Dynasty, silver had become an important currency in currency circulation.

The Tang Dynasty also circulated Tongbao money and silk as legal tender in parallel, that is, "the value of silk and the value of money are equal."The so-called silk value refers to the use of cloth and silk to measure the price of goods in units of horses according to legal specifications.All flat stolen goods, value calculation, merit calculation and mediocrity should be calculated according to the value of silk.During the Kaiyuan period, the imperial court ordered many times to use both money and silk, and those who violated it would be punished.It is also said that cloth and silk are the foundation, and money and knives are the end.Anyone with a transaction volume of more than 1,000 yuan should use both money and silk, and it is strictly forbidden to only accept money.Compare the price of money and silk. In the early Tang Dynasty, the price of silk was 200 yuan per piece.In Kaiyuan (713-741 A.D.), the official price was 550 yuan per horse, which became the market price standard.During the chaos of Anshi, the price of silk was 10,000 yuan.In the seventh year of Dali (772 A.D.), the number dropped to 4000, and in the late mid-Tang Dynasty, it dropped to 800.Therefore, the three-yuan currency system of money, silver and silk has been formed in the middle Tang Dynasty.In addition, in some areas, physical currency or credit currency, or even barter, such as grain, poultry, etc. are used.