Chapter 40 Section 4 Currency of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom

In 1851, the revolutionary army led by Hong Xiuquan revolted in Jintian, Guangxi, and quickly expanded to 17 provinces in the Yangtze and Yellow River basins. In March 1853, the capital was established in Tianjing (today's Nanjing City). Later, the Nian Army and the Shaanxi-Gansu Hui Army continued to fight against the Qing soldiers until 1873.This revolution shook the foundation of the feudal rule of the Qing Dynasty. At the beginning of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Uprising, currency was minted and the heavenly kingdom currency system was gradually established.According to historical records, the Kingdom of Heaven once issued gold coins in Tianjing, similar to ancient coins, and also issued silver coins.In authoritative works such as Luo Ergang's "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Currency Seen Records", Jian Youwen "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Classics and Chronicles" and Ding Fubao, there are superb expositions on the heavenly kingdom's money system. Some say two or three hundred pieces, and have catalogs.Ma Dingxiang's "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Currency" is particularly detailed and quite original. According to its classification, it is summarized as follows: (1) "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom believes in money".In 1850 A.D., when Hong Xiuquan, Yang Xiuqing, Feng Yunshan, Shi Dakai and others were planning an uprising in Guiping, Guangxi, they cast this coin with tin as an uprising token.The diameter of the money is 11/4 inches, and the text of Qian is "Taiping Tongbao".It is said that only 50 pieces were cast. (2) "Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Holy Treasure".This is the main currency of the Kingdom of Heaven, with a large number and various shapes and sizes.The small ones are like Xiaoping coins, and the big ones are like bronze mirrors. There are residual coins in the Hunan Provincial Museum, with a diameter of 33.5 cm and a thickness of 0.8 cm. It is estimated to weigh about 4,500 grams.Qian Wenjun's Chinese characters include Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Heavenly Kingdom, and Shengbao.Calligraphy can be divided into real script and Song style characters.There are five grades of Xiaoping, Dangwu, Dangten, Dangfifty, Dangbai, and Dangqian. (3) "Pingjing Shengbao".In the fourth year of the Kingdom of Heaven (AD 1854), in order to commemorate the defeat of the Qing army in Jinggang in the Battle of Yuezhou, this coin was minted to reward soldiers.Qianwen "Pingjing Shengbao" has a variety of characters on the back of the money, such as Qianying, Houying, Zuoying, Youying, Zhongying, Yulinjun, Changshengjun and so on. (4) In 1853, Liu Lichuan led the uprising of the Xiaodaohui, a branch of the Tiandihui, and occupied Shanghai County in response to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.In the following year, "Small Knife Hui Sun and Moon Money" or "Mingzi Money" was cast. (5) Other branches of the Tiandihui cast letter money as the proof of the rebels.For example, Tiantai Money Association once issued "Arhat Money", and Pingyang Money Association issued "Yiji Money".Zhonglingtang, a branch of Nanjing, once issued "Zhonglingtang five taels of cloth coins".This coin is 22 centimeters long and 11 centimeters wide. It is carved in wood and printed on white cloth in purple. There is a four-clawed dragon pattern on the top and a red seal with the eight characters of "Unify the world and last forever".Below it is the three-character vermilion seal of Zhonglingtang.On the left, right, and bottom three sides of the coin face, there are poems in spin: "Zhong Ling's light shines in all directions, and the three rivers, five lakes and four seas are kings. On the day of the gathering of wind and clouds, the dragon's plate will return to the water." The denomination is five taels of silver.This coin is a rare treasure.In addition, in 1854, Chen Kaijian of the Triad Society of Guangxi Province built the Dacheng Kingdom, casting "Hongde Tongbao", and Li Wenmao cast "Pingjing Shengbao".These two kinds of money are cast in a small number, and they are only used near the place where they were cast, and they are not widely circulated.