从铁钱到银两:两宋金元纸币的价值基准及其演变

From Iron Coins to Silver Ingots:The Conversion of the Value Basis of Paper Money During the Song,Jin and Yuan Dynasties

北宋淳化年间发明交子之后,纸币逐步发展成为两宋金元时期广为行用的重要货币。从纸币与金属货币的相互关系看,北宋交子、元朝至元钞分别是铁钱和银两的价值符号;铁钱与银两是交子和至元钞的价值基准。铁钱与交子、银两与至元钞,通过信用关系结成了由"价值基准-信用关系-价值符号"组成的货币体系。从北宋交子到元朝宝钞,纸币的价值基准完成了从铁钱向银两的转换。纸币价值基准的转换,是晚唐以降货币符号化与白银货币化相互交织,铁钱、铜钱、银两、丝绢及其价值符号相互影响,此进彼退,优化配置货币资源的结果。它奠定了元明时期纸币发展由盛转衰的基本方向,标志着货币标准白银化的完成,中国货币体系由铜钱时代进入了银两时代。

After the invention of Jiaozi in the Northern Song Dynasty,paper money gradually became an important currency in the Song,Jin and Yuan dynasties.Due to the relationship between paper money and metal money,the Jiaozi and Zhiyuanchao could be regarded as the value symbols of iron coins in the Song Dynasty and silver in the Yuan Dynasty,respectively.That meant,iron coins and silver,were actually the value basis of paper money.Since the co-relationships between iron coins and Jiaozi,silver and Zhiyuanchao were built on the credit of the government or certain business organization,which all together formed the monetary systems of value basis-credit relationship--value symbol.From the Jiaozi(Northern Song)to the Zhiyuanchao(Yuan),the value standard of paper money changed from iron coins to silver.The conversion of the value standard of paper money was the result of the symbolization of currency and monetization of silver,and the result of optimizing the allocation of iron coin,copper coin,silver,silk and its value symbols since the late Tang Dynasty.This conversion also marked the vanishing of paper money.During the period from the Yuan to the Ming Dynasty,the Chinese monetary system converted from the copper age to silver era,which meant the silver standard system was completed.