Month: September 2011

Xian Numismatic Museum

The official opening of the Xian Numismatic Museum (西安钱币博物馆) was announced today in a Chinese newspaper article.

The new money museum is located in the ancient city of Xian (西安), the capital of Shaanxi Province (陕西). Xian, formerly known as Changan (长安), has a history of more than 3,100 years and was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road. Xian (Chang’an) became the first capital of China when Qin Shi Huang (秦始皇) united the country in 221 BC and is where the famous terracotta army is located.

The coin museum was established by the Xian Branch of the The People’s Bank of China (中国人民银行) and occupies an area of 324 square meters (3,487 square feet).

More than 5,000 coins, paper currency and other forms of ancient and modern money dating back more than 4,000 years are on display.

The museum’s exhibits include some very rare items. According to Mr. Zhao Xiaoming (赵晓明), the Secretary-General of the Xian Numismatic Society (西安钱币学会), the first “piled” coin mold (叠范) ever discovered for the 4 zhu ban liang (四铢半两), valued at more than “one million yuan” ($156,500), is on display.

Ancient Chinese Money Tree

Considered among the “greatest treasures” on display are two “money trees” (yao qian shu 摇钱树) from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD).

Ancient Chinese legends spoke of trees from which coins would fall like leaves when shaken.

Museum visitors examining one of the money trees can be seen in the photo at the left.

The money tree is 138 cm (54 inches) in height and has a series of seated Buddhas at the top. The money tree branches are decorated with wu zhu (五铢) coins, “immortals” and “fairies”, monkey gods and other auspicious animals.

Exquisite examples of money trees, such as the two on display, have been found in Han Dynasty tombs in southwest China. These burial objects are believed to have been used by the deceased as a “map” or guide leading up to heaven and then used as a means of support while there.

For additional information on the origin and history of “money trees”, please see “Chinese Money Trees“.

September 27, 2011
Chinese Palindrome Charm

A palindrome is a word or phrase that reads the same forward or backwards. For example, “rats live on no evil star” is the same whether you read it left to right or right to left.

Creating palindromes is actually much easier in Chinese, which uses “characters”, than in English which uses an alphabet. If fact, every Chinese “word” (character) is itself a palindrome because it has exactly the same pronunciation and meaning whether read left to right or vice versa.

China has had a literary genre known as “palindromic poetry” (hui wen shi 回文诗) since ancient times. The genre is not strictly palindromic, however, because the meaning does not have to be exactly the same when reading forward or backward. What is important is that the phrase or sentence must make sense in both directions.

Chinese charms with palindromic inscriptions are very rare and often not even documented in numismatic references and catalogs.

Chinese 12 Character Palindrome Charm

The Chinese charm at the left is one of these rare examples with a palindromic inscription.

The inscription consists of 12 Chinese characters inscribed around the rim which reads “我笑他说我看他打我容他骂.

The most basic translation is “I, laugh, he, talks, I, look, he, hits, I, am tolerant, he, scolds”.

However, the meaning of a verb may change depending on whether it precedes or follows the pronoun.

Since this is a palindrome, you can begin with any pronoun or verb and read clockwise or counterclockwise.

As an example, starting with the “second” character in the inscription written above, the meaning would be “laugh at him scolding me (笑他说我)”, “look at him fight me (看他打我)”, “be tolerant of him cursing me (容他骂我)”.

Reading the same characters counter-clockwise would be “I curse and he is tolerant (我骂他容)”, “I fight and he watches (我打他看)”, “I speak and he laughs (我说他笑)”.

Therefore, completely different meanings occur depending on which pronoun or verb you begin with and which direction you are reading.

The charm provides us with a glimpse into the daily life of two people, namely “I” and “he (or she)”. The two people could be husband and wife, two lovers, two friends, two co-workers, a boss and employee, two family members, etc. The various permutations of dialogue express a range of attitudes people in a relationship may find themselves in including love, admiration, understanding, tolerance, and even not caring.

The reverse side of the charm has a “cloud and thunder” pattern similar to the design found on ancient Chinese bronzes.

Based on the calligraphy, design, metal, and casting, this charm is believed to have been made during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) by one of the ethnic minority groups in southern China.

The charm is made of brass and has a diameter of 51.64 mm and a weight of 35.05 grams.

Another example of this palindromic charm is known to exist. However, it is slightly smaller with a diameter of 44 mm.

September 20, 2011
Chinese “World of Brightness” Coin

Qing Dynasty Machine Struck Cash Coin

The first Chinese machine-made cash coins were minted during the reign (1875-1908) of Emperor De Zong of the Qing Dynasty.

As seen at the left, these brass coins had the inscription guang xu tong bao (光緒通寶). Many of these coins were struck at the mint in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province during the years 1889-1908.

Another coin was made about the same time that closely resembles this common guang xu tong bao coin but its meaning and history are still a mystery.

An example of this mysterious coin is shown at the left. The inscription reads guang ming shi jie (光明世界) which translates as “world of brightness”.

Several theories have been proposed as to the meaning and purpose of this coin or charm.

Many people believe that this is “spirit money” (ming qian 冥钱), also known as “ghost money”, “hell money” or “joss money”, which is money that is buried with the dead.

The reasoning is that this coin resembles real Chinese money. Also, the inscription “world of brightness” is a euphemism for “world of darkness” or death.

A different theory proposes that the coin is associated with the Tiandihui (天地会) or “Heaven and Earth Society” which was a secret organization dedicated to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty, which was ruled by the Manchus, and restoring the Ming Dynasty and the hegemony of the Han people. Interestingly enough, the inscription on the coin uses the same character “ming” (明) that is used for Ming Dynasty (明朝), and the inscription guang ming (光明) can be interpreted to mean the “glory of the Ming”.

One final theory is that the coin was made to be used as a game piece or gambling token.

This coin is know to exist in three varieties with the difference being the reverse sides.

The most commonly found reverse side is identical to that of the standard guang xu tong bao coin. In this case, there are two Manchu characters indicating that the coin was struck at the mint in Guangzhou.

The second version of the coin has a reverse side that is identical to the obverse side which means that the same inscription or legend is on both sides.

The third version of the coin is the most interesting because it has nine stars as shown in the example at the left.

The ancient Chinese, and particularly the Daoists, believed that the star constellation known as the “Big Dipper” or “Ladle” (beidou 北斗) consisted of the seven stars we see today along with two “invisible” or “attendant” stars making a total of nine stars.

The “Big Dipper” was where the gods lived and also served as the emperor’s chariot.

One of the major Buddhist and Daoist deities is the “Dipper Mother” (doumu yuanjun 斗母元君) who is also known as the “Queen of Heaven” (tianhou 天后) and the “Goddess of Beidou (“Big Dipper”)”.

She is the mother of the Nine Emperor Gods who are represented by the nine stars. She is honored each year on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month.

Finally, “nine” (jiu 九) is an auspicious number to the Chinese because it has the same pronunciation as the word “forever” (jiu 久).

While questions remain as to the true meaning and purpose of this coin, it nevertheless provides a fascinating insight into the political undercurrents and religious beliefs of China just as the imperial system that had existed for more than 2,000 years was beginning to crumble.

September 18, 2011
More than 2,200 Rare “Later Jin Dynasty” Coins Discovered

According to an article published in today’s Liaoning Daily (辽宁日报), the local police have arrested a gang of thieves who unearthed more than 2,200 rare coins dating from the Later Jin (后金) Dynasty (1616-1636 AD).

According to the report, the Bureau of Public Security of Liaoyang City (辽阳市) has arrested three men suspected of the theft and is presently looking for additional members of the gang.

Mr. Wu, the 32-year-old leader of the gang, was previously employed as a taxi driver. Last spring, he received word that some ancient Chinese coins had been discovered at a construction site in Liaoyang City. He went to the site everyday with his shovel but in a year’s time was only able to dig up a little more than 300 coins.

In order to find coins more quickly, Mr. Wu in May of this year bought a metal detector and rented a large excavator. He also recruited a few accomplices to form a “treasure digging team” which ultimately unearthed more than 2,200 coins weighing 17 kg (37.4 lbs).

Mr. Wu sold the coins for $101,700 (650,000 元).

Not long after, however, the buyer of the coins was arrested. He confessed and implicated Mr. Wu who was then arrested.

According to the cultural relics experts involved in the case, all the coins unearthed by the thieves have inscriptions written in the Manchu script (满文). The coins are from the Later Jin Dynasty (后金) which existed during the years 1616-1636 just prior to the Manchus conquering all of China and establishing the Qing Dynasty (清朝 1644-1911).

Unfortunately, no images of the coins were published in the newspaper article.

However, the coins are said to be special in that they were not used for general circulation. The experts believe that these coins may have been used by Nurhachi (努尔哈赤), the leader of the Manchus (满族), to reward his generals for meritorious achievements.

For this reason, the coins are considered to be very rare and the experts estimate that the market value for these Later Jin Dynasty coins (后金币) is at least $470,000 (3,000,000 元).

September 14, 2011
Store Signs of Ancient Chinese Coins

Store signs (招牌) in ancient China started to become common during the Song Dynasty (960-1127). By the time of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, stores had developed several types of signs to establish their identity.

The first store signs consisted of a simple piece of cloth with some Chinese characters which was hung in front of the door. Often, only “tea house”, “restaurant”, or “drugstore” was written. Sometimes the name of the shop or shop owner was written instead.

Another type of shop sign displayed a sample of the product being sold. For example, a shoe store might hang a shoe from a pole or a tobacco store may have a large wooden model of a tobacco leaf.

Store sign displaying ancient Chinese coins

Yet another type of store sign that became popular was totally independent of the line of business and relied instead on symbols of “good luck” and “prosperity”, such as ancient Chinese coins or the image of the “God of Wealth” (caishen 财神).

China still retains some of these old sign traditions although they are getting more and more difficult to find among the glitter and clutter of the modern signage now common in the large cities.

The sign at the left is located on a small side street in the city of Luzhou (泸州) in Sichuan Province (四川省). Luzhou is an old city famous for its liquor and spirits.

This particular sign does not identify the name of the store nor does it reveal the line of business but instead expresses a wish for prosperity and good luck.

Strung together are three large coins which decrease in size from top to bottom. These round coins with square holes in the center look exactly like the ancient bronze and brass “cash” coins that the Chinese used for more than 2,000 years.

Interestingly enough, the “coin” in the middle has a traditional Chinese charm inscription. The inscription reads shou xi fa cai (寿喜发财) which translates as “longevity, happiness, and make a fortune”.

Building shaped like Chinese cash coins

Although traditional store signs with the ancient Chinese coin theme are gradually disappearing, the modern era now allows for this symbol of good luck and wealth to be displayed in a new way.

The modern building at the left is shaped like a stack of ancient Chinese cash coins. The 25-story Fang Yuan Building (方圆大厦), which was completed in 2001, is located in the city of Shenyang (沈阳) in Liaoning Province (辽宁省).

The building was designed by the renown Taiwanese architect C.Y. Lee who also designed the “Taipei 101” (台北101) skyscraper which from 2004 to 2010 was the tallest building in the world.

Though on a far grander scale, the Fang Yuan Building continues the tradition of hanging a sign consisting of ancient Chinese coins over the front door in order to welcome customers and bring good fortune.

September 11, 2011
Chinese Chess Mooncakes

Ancient Chinese Chess Piece

Chinese chess or xiangqi (象棋) is one of the most ancient forms of chess.

Old Chinese chess pieces, similar to the “chariot” (車) piece displayed here, were made of bronze and can date back to the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD).

A complete set of these old Chinese chess pieces would be extremely difficult to collect.

A modern set of red and black Chinese chess pieces, on the other hand, is usually made of plastic or wood and can be easily purchased.

Mooncakes in the shape of Chinese Chess Pieces

At the left is what a modern set of Chinese chess pieces looks like.

This particular set, however, is very special.

The “pieces” are actually “mooncakes” (yue bing 月饼) made to resemble Chinese chess pieces.

Mooncakes are the traditional pastry eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival (zhong qiu jie 中秋节) which occurs on the 15th day of the 8th month according to the traditional Chinese calendar.

The festival coincides with the autumnal equinox when the moon is at its fullest. This year the festival falls on September 12th.

Mooncakes are round and usually have an auspicious Chinese character such as “longevity” (shou 壽) imprinted on top. They have a thin crust with a lotus seed paste filling and, sometimes, have a salted duck’s egg yolk in the center.

The mooncake not only symbolizes the full moon but also evokes the story of Chang’e (嫦娥), the beautiful wife of Houyi (后羿), who ate the pill of immortality and as punishment must now live on the moon with only the Jade Rabbit (yu tu 玉兔) as a companion.

It is a happy coincidence that this traditional festival food can be made to look exactly like the pieces from the ancient game of Chinese chess. Now during game play, the pieces can be eaten once they are captured by the opposing player.

September 8, 2011
Zithers and Grasshoppers

Zithers and grasshoppers may seem like an unlikely combination but they are the theme of an old Chinese charm.

The zithers in this case refer to the ancient Chinese musical instruments of the qin (琴) and the se (瑟).

The qin or guqin (古琴) is a seven-stringed zither which was the instrument played by the sages and has a history or more than 3000 years.

The se (瑟) is a similar musical instrument which had 25 strings although even more ancient models had 50 strings.

At the left is an example of an old Chinese charm with the zither and grasshopper theme.

The inscription is qin se you zhi (琴瑟友之) which means “with the qin and the se be friendly to her” or “the qin and se zithers warm her heart”.

The inscription comes from a poem entitled “Cry of the Ospreys” (guan ju 关雎) which is found in the ancient book of poetry known as the “Book of Songs” (shi jing 诗经) which was compiled by Confucius 2500 years ago.

The poem celebrates giving birth to many children.

The qin and the se gradually came to symbolize marital harmony which helps to explain the inscription on the other side of the charm.

The reverse side of the charm has the inscription zhong si yan qing ( 螽斯衍庆) which translates as “may your children be as numerous as grasshoppers”.

The Chinese katydid or long-horned grasshopper has its own “musical instrument” and makes “music” by rubbing its wings together.

In olden times, Chinese children loved to catch grasshoppers and raise them in small cages during the summer and autumn.

Furthermore, grasshoppers like to gather together, similar to an extended family, and they reproduce in large numbers.

The grasshopper was, therefore, seen as a symbol of fertility and procreation to traditional Chinese families that wished for many sons and grandsons to continue the ancestral lineage and to carry out ancestor worship.

While zithers and grasshoppers may seem to be an unusual pairing, the ancient Chinese saw them as fitting symbols of marital harmony and procreation.

September 7, 2011
Chinese Buddhist Charm with Sanskrit Characters

A Chinese charm displaying non-Chinese characters was recently featured on the website of the Beijing Hanhai Auction Company (北京翰海拍卖有限公司).

The only information provided, besides its size and weight, is that the charm “has writing from one of the ethnic minority groups of China”. No translation is offered nor is there any hint as to the charm’s possible purpose.

Old Chinese Buddhist Charm with Sanskrit Characters

At the left is the obverse side of the charm.

The shape of the characters and the colors of the patina make for a visually striking appearance much more akin to an ancient Chinese bronze.

The checkered field between the characters adds to its attractiveness.

This charm is not well documented but some experts believe it to be a Chinese Buddhist charm.

The inscription is not written in the script of one of the ethnic minorities of China but rather in Sanskrit.

The inscription is believed to be “a mi tuo fo” (啊弥陀佛). “A mi tuo” (啊弥陀) is a transliteration of the Sanskrit word “Amida” which means “boundless”. The “fo” (佛) refers to Buddha.

The inscription thus references the Amida Buddha of Pure Land Buddhism and the expression “a mi tuo fo” is considered to be a Buddhist blessing with the general meaning of “may Buddha protect” or “take refuge in the Buddha”.

Reverse Side of Chinese Buddhist Charm with Sanskrit Characters

The reverse side of the charm also has four Sanskrit characters but, unfortunately, the meaning of the inscription is still not understood.

Although Buddhist temple coins were popular during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), the first appearance of this Buddhist charm with its Sanskrit inscription is believed to have occurred during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The charm has a diameter of 41.6 mm, a thickness of 2.1 mm, and a weight of 17.9 grams.

Please visit Buddhist Charms for additional images and a more detailed discussion of the history of Buddhist temple coins and charms in China.

Note: This article was updated on January 4, 2015 as follows:

The authoritative “Great Dictionary of China Numismatics” (中國錢幣大辭典) published a 995-page volume entitled “Chinese Charms” (壓勝錢編) in January, 2013.

Regarding the charm discussed above, the dictionary (page 556) confirms that it is Chinese and dates from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

The dictionary offers two opinions as to the inscription on the obverse side. It may be Sanskrit with the meaning “a mi tuo fo”. The other possibility is that it is the six-syllabled Sanskrit mantra “om mani padme hum“ (an ma ni ba mi hong 唵嘛呢叭咪吽).

Unfortunately, the dictionary admits that the inscription on the reverse side remains “unknown”.

However, another specimen of this charm appeared in an auction in China on May 20, 2014.

According to the auction house, the obverse inscription is Sanskrit for “a mi tuo fo“.

The inscription on the reverse side is Sanskrit for “Heaven, Earth, Water, Fire” (天地水火).

The interrelationship of these concepts is described in ancient Chinese texts such as the “Yi Jing” or “Book of Changes” (易经). “Heaven” (天) and “Earth” (地) are considered as a pair of opposites, as are “Water” (水) and “Fire” (火).

The dualities of heaven and earth, and water and fire, are representative of the harmony and balance in nature.

September 3, 2011