Chapter 28 Section 4 Silver Ingots and Coins of the Yuan Dynasty

The Yuan Dynasty was a feudal dynasty with the strongest national power and the widest territory in Chinese history, spanning Eurasia.In 1206 AD, Mongolian Temujin unified the north and south of the desert and established the Great Mongol Khanate named Genghis Khan.After several dynasties of Taizong and Xianzong to Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the world, he successively destroyed Jin, Xixia, Southern Song Dynasty, Khwarazimo and conquered many countries in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe and the Asian continent.East-West trade and sea and land transportation were developed, and the commodity currency economy developed accordingly, forming abnormal prosperity in metropolises and treaty ports, such as Dadu (Beijing), Jingzhao (Changan), Jinan, Chengdu, Suzhou, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Quanzhou, and Fuzhou They are all commercial centers where thousands of merchants gather.In 1271 A.D., Shizu changed the name of the country to Dayuan, taking the meaning of "Dayue Qianyuan" in Chinese, established Yanjing as the capital, entered the Central Plains, adopted Han law, and reformed the old system.In terms of currency, the paper currency standard system was established, silver was used, and copper utensils, copper materials and copper coins were banned and collected.During the expansion of the Yuan Dynasty, there were constant disputes within and between the empire headquarters and the four major Khanates. In addition, the long-term wars raging and causing serious damage, urban and rural areas were looted, leading to rural bankruptcy, disorder in the four industries, and the economy was always in a state of inflation.

Before the Yuan army entered the Central Plains, it had already used silver.The gold and Huacizimo countries destroyed by Mongolia all used silver widely, and Mongolia was influenced by it and allowed to use silver coins.In the thirteenth year of the Yuan Dynasty (1276 A.D.), when the Yuan soldiers conquered the Southern Song Dynasty, they melted the scattered silver collected from the conscripted soldiers into the shape of ingots, commonly known as silver ingots, named ingots, and distributed them to meritorious soldiers. They were circulated in the market, and each ingot was 50 taels. .Later, the government also cast it, and the Chinese-style silver ingot began from then on.In the Yuan Dynasty, silver was generally used as currency, and all loans, trades, awards, punishments, prices, and horse purchases were paid in silver.In the Yuan Dynasty, silver coins were also minted, with a statue of someone riding a horse and holding a knife.Generally, silver coins are stamped with a beast seal to represent the year, such as the year of the tiger and the year of the rat.After the Yuan Dynasty, the policy of not exchanging banknotes was implemented, and silver and money were banned, and the folks still used them.Banknotes such as Zhongtong banknotes issued by the government are still based on silver, and the units are divided into silver ingots as banknotes. Some banknotes are called silver banknotes, and most of the banknotes issued are linked to silver.In recent years, many yuan and silver ingots have been unearthed in various places, which is sufficient evidence.There are a large number of official and civilian silver records in literature, Yuan operas, and novels, which can also explain.It had great influence on the Ming and Qing dynasties.

In the Yuan Dynasty, some Mongolian and Chinese coins were minted. The amount of casting was small and the circulation was not wide.And there are more temple money, money for spreading accounts, money for offerings and other special-purpose money and money for power.In the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the folks used money all the time, and it was repeatedly prohibited.Yuan coins were also exported to neighboring countries in large quantities.Before entering the Central Plains, cast "Dachao Tongbao" Chinese coins.During the reign of Shizu Zhongtong (1260-1264 A.D.), "Zhongtong Yuanbao" Chinese coins were cast; in the 22nd year of Zhiyuan (1285 A.D.), "Zhiyuan Tongbao" Chinese Xiaoping and Mongolian new characters were folded into two coins.During Chengzong's reign, "Yuanzhen Tongbao" Xiaoping copper coins and silver coins and new Mongolian characters were cast; "Dade Tongbao" Xiaoping coins were folded in two and three.In the third year of Emperor Wuzong's reign (AD 1310), "Zhi Da Yuan Bao" and "Zhi Da Tong Bao" were cast in Chinese Xiaoping coins, and one penny was equivalent to one penny of the largest silver banknote; Ten coins; licensed copper coins of the past dynasties and the original 20% off 30% to 50% of each coin.It was abolished by Renzong after only two years.Renzong still cast "Huangqing Yuanbao" copper coins and silver coins, "Huangqing Tongbao" Xiaoping and "Yanyou Yuanbao"; in the third year of Yanyou (1316 A.D.), the temple money of Dahaotian Temple was cast.Yingzong cast "Zhizhi Yuanbao" and "Zhizhi Tongbao", Emperor Taiding cast "Taiding Tongbao" and "Zhihe Yuanbao", Wenzong cast "Tianli Yuanbao", "Zhishun Yuanbao" and "Zhishun Tongbao".Emperor Shun's casting of money was complicated. First he cast "Yuantong Yuanbao" and then he cast "Zhiyuan Qian".These moneys include: "Zhizheng Tongbao Earthly Branches Chronicle Money", five categories of Yin, Mao, Chen, Ji, and Wu with Mongolian calendar characters on the back of the money. Gold body; "Zhiyuan Wuyin Incense Burner Money" and other offering money; "Zhizheng Yuanbao" and "Zhizheng Tongbao" are valuable and the most complicated. There are Chinese characters on the bottom, and there are 20% off, 30% off, 30% off, 50% into 10, and extra large money into 10%; Two characters, wear the right to indicate the amount, divided into five types: five cents, one cent, one cent five cents, two cents five cents, and five cents.Among them, the banknote money used as five coins is the coin with the largest diameter in my country.Banknote money uses metal currency to represent banknotes, which is a unique currency system contrary to the general situation in currency circulation.