Chapter 48 Chapter 10 The Characteristics and Historical Status of Chinese Currency

In the long-term development of Chinese currency, a complete system has been formed, and this system has its own distinctive characteristics. First, it has long-term coherence.China has used currency for 5,000 years and is one of the earliest countries to use currency.Some of the currencies used earlier by other countries have long since withdrawn from the stage of history with the historical evolution, some have been integrated by the currencies of other countries, and some have been intermittent and ups and downs.Only the Chinese currency not only has a long history, but also continuously expands the currency and enriches the connotation.

Second, the shapes are diverse and colorful.All ethnic groups, regions, and dynasties in our country issued their own currencies according to different political and economic conditions, which formed the diversity of Chinese currencies.There are no less than twenty or thirty kinds of currency materials used as currency alone.Among them are shellfish, grain, cloth, silk, gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, pearl jade, clam shell, tortoise shell, ivory, cinnabar, salt block, paper, bamboo, wood, stone, soil, etc.Among these materials, copper and iron coins have the greatest influence.Among them, the square hole round money has been used for the longest time. From the round money of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States, it has gone through Qin Banliang, Han Banliang, Yuanshou Wuzhu to Tongbao money system, and then to Tongyuan. It is about 3000 years. Throughout the urban and rural areas of the country.Followed by gold and silver coins.There are ingots, blocks, cakes, strips and round coins.In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there was Chu Yuan gold, and the legal gold of the Qin and Han Dynasties was the main currency.After the mid-Tang Dynasty, silver and money went hand in hand, the Song and Yuan dynasties designated silver as legal goods, the Ming and Qing dynasties implemented the silver system, and the Qing and the Republic of China prevailed in silver dollars.In the process of circulation, gold and silver are always collected as treasures by the government and the people, especially during times of war.Paper money again.Paper money in its original state appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty.The Northern Song Dynasty issued Guanjiaozi, which was widely promoted in subsequent dynasties, but all suffered disastrous failures, causing serious inflation.The other is physical currency, which is different in different dynasties and places, and has a wide variety of patterns, each of which is used in certain regions and conditions.Among the four major types of currencies, in addition to statutory conditions, each of them varies widely due to different shapes, specifications, sizes, weights, fineness, and price comparisons.

Third, it is highly artistic.If you carefully observe and appreciate the coins of the past dynasties in China, you will find that they are all art treasures and beautiful.Whether it is the shape, casting, variety, structure, luster, color, charm, etc. of the currency of the past dynasties, there are many fascinating charms.Through the identification of various currencies, the appreciation of complete sets of currencies, and the comparative study of currency changes, people can get great spiritual enjoyment.In particular, the exquisite calligraphy of Qian Wen is breathtaking.The Qianwen calligraphy engraved on the coins is a history of Chinese calligraphy that lasted thousands of years from the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the Republic of China.For example, the copper and iron coins of the Nine Dynasties of the Northern Song Dynasty have many famous handwritings left behind, some of which are the only surviving handwritings of great calligraphers.Over the years, Chinese and foreign scholars, experts, collectors and connoisseurs have been obsessed with the collection, appreciation and study of Chinese coins in the past dynasties, not without reason.Some spend their whole lives studying Chinese currency and making major contributions.The artistic style and superb craftsmanship of Chinese coins in the past dynasties also reflect the historical achievements of Chinese culture from one aspect.

Fourth, the world has a huge impact.Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, China has successively carried out commodity trade and cultural exchanges with many countries and regions through the land and sea silk roads and various channels. At the same time, the Chinese currency has also exerted influence on the outside world.For example, Korea, Japan, Vietnam and other neighboring countries have imitated and used Chinese coins since the Sui, Tang and Song Dynasties. The copper coins cast are exactly the same as the Chinese coins, and some are even difficult to distinguish.This situation continued for 1,300 to 400 years until the end of the Qing Dynasty.Similar situations exist in other Southeast Asian countries.For example, Java has used Song money as the main currency since the Song Dynasty.Other countries such as Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and other countries also imitated Chinese Tongbao coins in the past.The imitation copper coins of the above countries are also unimpeded in China. According to preliminary statistics, there are more than 200 kinds of such coins circulating in China.There are also many countries that have traded with China since the Han and Tang Dynasties and took away Chinese gold, silver and copper coins. Their gold, silver and copper coins are also used in certain areas of China, such as India, Persia, Dashi, Daqin, Borneo, Luzon, Ceylon, Borneo, Sumatra and other countries.In addition to the above two types of countries, ancient Chinese coins have been found in many other countries and regions, such as countries in Central Asia, countries in the Mesopotamia and Persian Gulf regions, countries in southeastern Europe, countries on the east coast of Africa, Central and South America and the Caribbean Ancient Chinese coins have been found in some countries.

In short, the currency culture of the past dynasties in China is the glorious achievement of the joint cultivation and hard work of all Chinese nationalities for thousands of years.It has made outstanding contributions to the progress of human civilization and the development of world economy and culture.Summarizing its experience, lessons, theories, policies, systems and measures in historical circulation can provide us with extremely valuable reference.Therefore, it is necessary for us to have a concrete understanding and in-depth study of the currency history of our country.