In the history of China, gold coins were used during and left over from the Han period in the greatest quantity. Among the finds the commonest are kylin-foot-shaped; and horse-hoof-shaped occur in a small number. Most...In the history of China, gold coins were used during and left over from the Han period in the greatest quantity. Among the finds the commonest are kylin-foot-shaped; and horse-hoof-shaped occur in a small number. Most of them bear engraved legends or stamped seals, and a number of non-character and non-numeral signs remain beyond understanding. The gold ingots from the Han tomb on Mt. Shuangru in Changqing largely have such engravings. In the author's opinion, these signs can be identified as weight marks without measure units based on the composition manner of numerical signs in remote antiquity and the fact that the gold ingots from Nanyaozhuang in Jiangsu Xuyi bear similar signs as well as weight marks with definite measure units. In the light of the composition manners of numerical signs, the weight marks under discussion can be included into two categories with six marking manners.This identification is of great significance to studying the monetary policy, the minting, use and measure of gold money, and the relationship of the central dynasty with the princedoms in the Han period.展开更多
文摘In the history of China, gold coins were used during and left over from the Han period in the greatest quantity. Among the finds the commonest are kylin-foot-shaped; and horse-hoof-shaped occur in a small number. Most of them bear engraved legends or stamped seals, and a number of non-character and non-numeral signs remain beyond understanding. The gold ingots from the Han tomb on Mt. Shuangru in Changqing largely have such engravings. In the author's opinion, these signs can be identified as weight marks without measure units based on the composition manner of numerical signs in remote antiquity and the fact that the gold ingots from Nanyaozhuang in Jiangsu Xuyi bear similar signs as well as weight marks with definite measure units. In the light of the composition manners of numerical signs, the weight marks under discussion can be included into two categories with six marking manners.This identification is of great significance to studying the monetary policy, the minting, use and measure of gold money, and the relationship of the central dynasty with the princedoms in the Han period.
