User:Donald Trung/Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶)

This page serves as the editing history of the article Hongwu Tongbao and is preserved for the historical record.

Original draft

{{Infobox coin | Denomination = Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶) | Country = [[Ming dynasty]] ([[China]]){{efn|Imitations of the Hongwu Tongbao were cast in [[Japan]].}} | Value = 1 ''[[Chinese cash (currency unit)|wén]]'', 2 ''wén'', 3 ''wén'', 5 ''wén'', 10 ''wén'' | Unit = | Mass_g = | Diameter_mm = | Diameter_inch = | Diameter_special =  | Thickness_mm = | Thickness_inch = | Thickness_special =  | Composition = [[Copper-alloy]] ([[bronze]]) | Years of Minting = 1368–1393<ref>Numis' Numismatic Encyclopedia. [https://en.numista.com/numisdoc/a-reference-list-of-5000-years-of-chinese-coinage-97.html A reference list of 5000 years of Chinese coinage. (Numista)] Written on December 9, 2012 • Last edit: June 13, 2013 Retrieved: 30 July 2017.</ref> | Mintage =  | Circulation = | Catalog Number =  | Obverse = Hong Wu Tong Bao (洪武通寶) - Scott Semans 01.png | Obverse Design = Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶) | Obverse Designer = | Obverse Design Date = | Obverse Discontinued = | Reverse = | Reverse Design = Some versions are blank, while others have [[Hongwu Tongbao#Mint marks|reverse inscriptions]]. | Reverse Designer = | Reverse Design Date = | Reverse Discontinued = }} The '''Hongwu Tongbao''' ({{zh|t=洪武通寶|s=洪武通宝| hp=Hóngwǔ tōng bǎo| l=vastly martial circulating treasure|| links=yes}} [[Japanese language|Japanese]]: Kōbu Tsūhō) was the first [[Cash (Chinese coin)|cash coin]] to bear the reign name of a reigning [[Ming dynasty]] Emperor bearing the reign title of the [[Hongwu Emperor]]. Hongwu Tongbao cash coins officially replaced the earlier Dazhong Tongbao (大中通寶) coins, however the production of the latter did not cease after the Hongwu Tongbao was introduced.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.calgarycoin.com/reference/china/china7.htm#ming|title= Chinese Cast Coins - MING DYNASTY.|date=2018|accessdate=26 August 2018|work= By Robert Kokotailo (Calgary Coin & Antique Gallery – Chinese Cast Coins).|language=en}}</ref> The government of the Ming dynasty placed a greater reliance on copper cash coins than the Yuan dynasty ever did, but despite this reliance a nationwide copper shortage caused the production of Hongwu Tongbao cash coins to cease several times eventually leading to their discontinuation in 1393 when they were completely phased out in favour of [[paper money]]. [[Japan]]ese ''Kōbu Tsūhō'' cash coins continued to be manufactured well into the seventeenth century as a result of trade with China which caused Ming dynasty era cash coins to circulate in Japan. == History == {{Main|Ming dynasty coinage}} In 1361 the Minting Department of the Board of Works (寶源) was set up in Ying Tian Fu ([[Nanjing]]) by [[Zhu Yuanzhang]] who at the time ruled under the title of "Prince of Wu" and created the mint before the [[Yuan dynasty]] was driven out of China. The first cash coins issued by Zhu Yuanzhang actually bore the inscription "[[Dazhong Tongbao]]" (大中通寶) because he wanted to name his name country the "Great Zhong dynasty" (大中朝) but eventually the name was settled on the "Great [[Ming dynasty]]" (大明朝) and the Hongwu period was proclaimed and the introduction of the Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶). Despite the new coinage being issued the Dazhong Tongbao would continue to be cast as reconquering China from the [[Mongol people|Mongols]] would take several years, one of the reasons why it’s confirmed that the production of the Dazhong Tongbao was continued well into the Hongwu period is because Dazhong Tongbao cash coins with mintmarks from [[Fuzhou]], [[Fujian]] have been produced despite the Fuzhou mint only opening its doors in 1394, other Dazhong Tongbao cash coins without any reverse mint marks are presumed to have been cast in either the [[Jiangxi]], [[Shaanxi]], [[Sichuan]], or [[Yunnan]] mints when these mints were in operation.{{sfn|Hartill|2005|p=241}} Mints were established in various cities and provinces including Nanjing, [[Beijing|Beiping]], [[Henan]], [[Jinan]], [[Zhejiang]], [[Fujian]], [[Hubei]], [[Guangdong]], and [[Guilin]]. From 1375 each Chinese provincial mint was required by the government to mark the reverse side of each cash coin with both its value and place of casting.<ref name="primaltrek">{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/chinesecoins.html|title= Chinese coins – 中國錢幣 |date=16 November 2016|accessdate=27 August 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref> The production of the Hongwu Tongbao cash coins itself was started in the year 1368, bronze cash coins were cast in five denominations which included 1 wén (小平), 2 wén (折二), 3 wén (折三), 5 wén (折五), and 10 wén (當十), however in 1371 the production of larger sized Hongwu Tongbao and Dazhong Tongbao cash coins were discontinued due to the fact that people didn't accept them for their [[nominal value]] on the market. Between the years 1375 and 1376 the production of cash coins was completely stopped but was later resumed, however a national shortage of copper forced the government of the Ming dynasty to completely suspend the manufacture of cash coins in 1387 for a period of two years, after the mintage of Chinese cash coins was resumed in 1389 the standard weights were set where copper Hongwu Tongbao coins of 1 ''[[Chinese cash (currency unit)|wén]]'' would weigh 1 ''qián'', 2 ''wén'' weighed 2 ''qián'', 3 ''wén'' weighed 3 ''qián'', 5 ''wén'' weighed 5 ''qián'', and 10 ''wén'' weighed 1 ''[[Tael|liǎng]]'', while in 1390 the weight of the 1 ''wén'' Hongwu Tongbao cash coins was increased to 1.2 ''qián''. It was also officially stipulated by law that the Hongwu Tongbao cash coins would be made from 100% copper and that 160 of the 1 ''qián'' cash coins would be made from one jin (斤) of copper. The complete production of Chinese copper cash coins was suspended in the year 1393 when the usage of copper coinage was also made illegal in favour of the [[Da Ming Baochao]] banknotes.{{sfn|Hartill|2005|p=246}}<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Terms/zhiqian.html|title= zhiqian 制錢, standard cash|date=25 May 2016|accessdate=27 August 2018|work= By Ulrich Theobald ([[Chinaknowledge]]).|language=en}}</ref> From this point the government of the Ming dynasty didn’t produce any copper coinage at a large scale until the [[Yongle Tongbao]] (永樂通寳) was cast for foreign trade between 1408 and 1410, while the production of copper cash coins for domestic circulation didn't resume until the introduction of the [[Hongzhi Tongbao]] (弘治通寶) in 1503 by the [[Beijing]] mint.{{sfn|Hartill|2005|p=247}} === In Japan === In [[Japan]] a large number of imported [[Ming dynasty coinage|Ming dynasty cash coins]] (明銭) started circulating as ''[[Japanese mon (currency)#Toraisen, Shichūsen, and Bitasen|Shichūsen]]'' (私鋳銭) from the sixteenth century. On the island of [[Kyushu]] a village named [[Kajiki, Kagoshima|Kajiki]] in the [[Satsuma Domain]] produced a large quantity of cash coins between the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries as Satsuma had a very active trade with the [[Ryukyu Kingdom]], these imitations of Ming dynasty cash coins bore the inscription "Kōbu Tsūhō" but had the [[Kanji]] character "治" (Ji) on its reverse to indicate that it was struck in Kajiki.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/roberts/coins/bitasen.html|title=Bitasen　鐚銭|date=24 October 2003|accessdate=27 August 2018|work= Dr. Luke Roberts at the [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Department of History - University of California at Santa Barbara]] |language=en}}</ref> == Mint marks == List of mint marks on Hongwu Tongbao cash coins:{{sfn|Hartill|2005|p=242–246}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Mint mark !! Issuing mint !! Image |- | colspan=3 align="center" style="background:#efefef;" | '''1 [[Chinese cash (currency unit)|wén]]''' |- | 一錢 (Yi Qian) || || |- | 京 (Jing) || [[Nanjing]] mint || |- | 北平 (Bei Ping) || [[Beijing|Beiping]] mint || |- | 鄂 (E) || [[Hubei]] province mint || |- | 福 (Fu) || [[Fujian]] province mint || [[File:Hong Wu Tong Bao (洪武通寶) - Fuzhou Mint issue (photographed in 2018) 04.jpg|75px]] |- | 廣 (Guang) || [[Guangdong]] province mint || |- | 桂 (Gui) || [[Guilin]] mint, [[Guangxi]] province || |- | 桂一 (Gui Yi) || Guilin mint, Guangxi province || |- | 濟 (Ji) || [[Jinan]] mint, [[Shandong]] province || |- | 豫 (Yu) || [[Henan]] province mint || |- | 浙 (Zhe) || [[Zhejiang]] province mint || [[File:Hung Wu T'ung Pao - John Ferguson 02.jpg|75px]] |- | colspan=3 align="center" style="background:#efefef;" | '''2 wén''' |- | 二錢 (Er Qian) || || |- | 京 (Jing) || Nanjing mint || |- | 北平 (Bei Ping) || Beiping mint || |- | 鄂 (E) || Hubei province mint || |- | 二福 (Er Fu) || Fujian province mint || |- | 廣二 (Guang Er) || Guangdong province mint || |- | 桂二 (Gui Er) || Guilin mint, Guangxi province || |- | 濟 (Ji) || Jinan mint, Shandong province || |- | 豫 (Yu) || Henan province mint || |- | 浙 (Zhe) || Zhejiang province mint || |- | colspan=3 align="center" style="background:#efefef;" | '''3 wén''' |- | 三 (San) || || |- | 三錢 (San Qian) || || |- | 京 (Jing) || Nanjing mint || |- | 北平 (Bei Ping) || Beiping mint || |- | 鄂 (E) || Hubei province mint || |- | 三福 (San Fu) || Fujian province mint || |- | 廣三 (Guang San) || Guangdong province mint || |- | 桂三 (Gui San) || Guilin mint, Guangxi province || |- | 濟 (Ji) || Jinan mint, Shandong province || |- | 豫 (Yu) || Henan province mint || |- | 浙 (Zhe) || Zhejiang province mint || |- | colspan=3 align="center" style="background:#efefef;" | '''5 wén''' |- | 五 (Wu) || || |- | 五錢 (Wu Qian) || || [[File:Hong Wu Tong Bao (洪武通寶) - Scott Semans 02.jpg|75px]] |- | 京 (Jing) || Nanjing mint || |- | 北平 (Bei Ping) || Beiping mint || |- | 鄂 (E) || Hubei province mint || |- | 五福 (Wu Fu) || Fujian province mint || |- | 廣五 (Guang Wu) || Guangdong province mint || |- | 桂五 (Gui Wu) || Guilin mint, Guangxi province || |- | 濟 (Ji) || Jinan mint, Shandong province || |- | 豫 (Yu) || Henan province mint || |- | 浙 (Zhe) || Zhejiang province mint || |- | colspan=3 align="center" style="background:#efefef;" | '''10 wén''' |- | 十 (Shi) || || |- | 十一兩 (Shi Yi Liang) || || [[File:Hong Wu Tong Bao (洪武通寶) - Scott Semans 03.jpg|75px]] |- | 京十 (Jing Shi) || Nanjing mint || |- | 北平十 (Bei Ping Shi) || Beiping mint || |- | 鄂十 (E Shi) || Hubei province mint || |- | 十福 (Shi Fu) || Fujian province mint || |- | 十廣 (Shi Guang) || Guangdong province mint || |- | 桂十 (Gui Shi) || Guilin mint, Guangxi province || |- | 濟十 (Ji Shi) || Jinan mint, Shandong province || |- | 十豫 (Shi Yu) || Henan province mint || |- | 十浙 (Shi Zhe) || Zhejiang province mint || |} === Japanese mint marks === {| class="wikitable" |- ! Mint mark !! Issuing mint !! Image |- | 治 (Ji) || [[Kajiki, Kagoshima|Kajiki]], [[Satsuma Domain]] || [[File:Kōbu Tsūhō (洪武通寶) - Dr. Luke Roberts 02.png|75px]] |} == Hongwu Tongbao charms == {{Main|Chinese numismatic charm#Chinese charms with coin inscriptions}} [[File:Hung Wu T'ung Pao charm - John Ferguson 01.jpg|thumb|right|A Hongwu Tongbao (洪武通寶) charm or amulet which is 119 millimeters in diameter that depicts an [[ox]] (or [[bull]]) on its reverse alluding to the simple life of Zhu Yuanzhang before he became the Hongwu Emperor.]] [[Chinese numismatic charms]] with the inscription "Hongwu Tongbao" (洪武通寶) are common however those with graphic depictions of the life of [[Zhu Yuanzhang]] only began to appear after the [[Xinhai revolution]] overthrew the [[Qing dynasty]] and established the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]] in 1912, this was because casting or having in one's possession a "coin" which showed the life of a Chinese emperor during the imperial period would lead to them facing almost certain death. However as the threat of punishment for circulating these charms disappeared in 1912 they became more commonplace. The reason why Hongwu Tongbao charms and amulets became very popular with the Chinese masses is because these amulets represented the hope that those who come from less than fortunate beginnings may grow up to become [[Emperor of China|the Emperor]], this was because Zhu Yuanzhang was born to an impoverished peasant family, his parents died while he was very young, became a [[beggar]], later found employment as a [[shepherd]] boy, and eventually moved to live in a [[Buddhist monastery]]. As he saw the injustices the [[Chinese people]] were suffering under the rule of the [[Yuan dynasty]] he joined the [[red turban rebellion]] and through his own ability managed to lead the rebellion and restore Chinese independence from foreign rule establishing the [[Ming dynasty]] with himself as its Emperor Taizu. This story inspired many commoners to believe that they and their offspring could amount to become successful despite their own humble beginnings, for this reason Chinese charms and amulets that carried the inscription "Hongwu Tongbao" became very popular and many of these usually depict either a part of or the entire aforementioned story. Usually these Hongwu Tongbao charms and amulets are a lot bigger than actual Hongwu Tongbao cash coins for example being 69 millimeters in diameter. However many of these charms and amulets need to be big because they depict very complex scenes of symbolism on their reverse sides. For example a large Hongwu Tongbao charm may feature a [[lamb]] and an [[ox]] on its left side symbolising how Zhu Yuanzhang was born into a very poor family of peasants, a [[Buddhist monk]] seated on a [[Lotus flower|lotus]] throne above the square center hole symbolising how he lived in a Buddhist monestary in his youth, next to this Buddhist monk are other Buddhist symbols such as "auspicious clouds" (祥雲) and a [[bodhi tree]], which was the tree under which [[Gautama Buddha]] claimed to have found spiritual enlightenment.<ref>Chinese Buddhist Encyclopedia [http://www.chinabuddhismencyclopedia.com/en/index.php/Buddhist_Symbols Buddhist Symbols]. Retrieved: 23 August 2018.</ref> Another symbol included on this coin charm is a [[horse]] located right of the square center hole which symbolises the [[Mongol people|Mongols]] whose [[Culture of Mongolia|culture]] is strongly associated with the horse, the Mongol Yuan dynasty was overthrown by a rebellion of which Zhu Yuanzhang was a part.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/buddhist.html|title= Buddhist Charms - 佛教品壓勝錢 - Buddhism in China.|date=16 November 2016|accessdate=23 August 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)}}</ref><ref>The Language and Iconography of Chinese Charms - Chapter "Temple coins of the Yuan Dynasty" pp 149-161 Date: 10 December 2016 [https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-10-1793-3_8?no-access=true Temple Coins of the Yuan Dynasty.] Vladimir A. Belyaev , Sergey V. Sidorovich. Retrieved = 23 August 2017.</ref> Another example of a Hongwu Tongbao charm with a size of 43 millimeters in diameter and weighs 29.2 grams depicts a less detailed scene where the reverse features a little boy playing a [[flute]] riding either an ox or a [[water buffalo]],<ref>Invaluable - [https://www.invaluable.co.uk/auction-lot/pair-hongwu-tongbao-mark-ring-shaped-coins-7784871922 Lot 149: PAIR HONGWU TONGBAO MARK RING-SHAPED COINS - Empire Auction House - May 27, 2017 - Boston, MA, US]. Retrieved: 27 August 2018.</ref> in this case the young boy represents Zhu Yuanzhang (or Emperor Taizu) in his youth while the flute he is playing is a symbol associated with a care free life while it’s also both a Buddhist and a Taoist symbol. In [[Taoism]] the flute is associated with the immortal [[Lan Caihe]] while in [[Buddhism]] it’s used in meditation which alludes to Zhu Yuanzhang's life in a Buddhist monestary.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/coinlegend.html|title= Chinese Charms with Coin Inscriptions – 錢文錢。|date=16 November 2016|accessdate=23 August 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)}}</ref><ref>Fang, Alex Chengyu - Chinese Charms: Art, Religion and Folk Belief (2008)</ref><ref>Cribb, Joseph - Chinese Coin Shaped Charms (1986).</ref> Meanwhile not all larger Hongwu Tongbao charms feature more complex scenery as there is an example which only features an ox or water buffalo on the reverse alluding to the humble beginnings of the first Ming dynasty emperor.<ref>Sportstune.com – [http://sportstune.com/chinese/charms/1/hungwu.html Section 1.81: "Charms with coin inscriptions: Hung Wu T'ung Pao"] by John Ferguson. Retrieved: 23 August 2018.</ref><ref>Edgar J.Mandel. Metal Charms and Amulets of China.</ref> == See also == * [[Economy of the Ming dynasty]] == Notes == {{Notes}} == References == {{Reflist}} == Sources == * Hartill, David (September 22, 2005). ''Cast Chinese Coins''. [[Trafford]], [[United Kingdom]]: Trafford Publishing. {{ISBN|978-1412054669}}. {{Commonscat|Hongwu Tongbao}} {{Chinese cash coin}} {{Ming dynasty topics}} {{Chinese currency and coinage}} {{Japanese cash coin}} [[:Category:Coins of China]] [[:Category:Economy of China]] [[:Category:Chinese numismatics]] [[:Category:Ming dynasty]] .

Redirects

#REDIRECT [[Hongwu Tongbao]]

Hongwu tongbao.

Hong Wu Tong Bao.

洪武通寶.

洪武通宝.

Hongwu tong bao.

hongwu tongbao.

Hóngwǔ Tōngbǎo.

Hóngwǔ tōngbǎo.

洪武通寳, factually correct contemporary spelling that for some reason is only used by the Japanese today.

Hung Wu T'ung Pao.

Hungwu T'ungpao.

Hungwu Tungpao.

Hung Wu Tung Pao.

Hungwu tungpao.

Hung Wu tung pao.

#REDIRECT [[Hongwu Tongbao#Hongwu Tongbao charms]]

#REDIRECT [[Hongwu Tongbao#In Japan]]

Kōbu Tsūhō.

Koubu Tsuuhou.

Kobu Tsuho.

Kōbu tsūhō.

Kōbutsūhō.

Kajiki sen.

Kajiki Sen.

加治木銭.

Standard reference templates

August 2018.

<ref name="primaltrek">{{cite web|url= |title= .|date=31 March 2013|accessdate= August 2017|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref>

<ref>{{cite web|url= |title= |date=|accessdate= August 2018|work= |language=en}}</ref>

Early concepts

The early concept for the Mint Marks Wikitable looked like this:

Mint mark	Issuing mint	Image
1 wén
1 wén
(Yi Qian), on the right side of the coin.
(Jing), above the square hole.	Nanjing mint
Beiping mint

I Expanded this up until the Guilin Mint but then discontinued this in favour of not mentioning the position of the character(s) on the reverse side of these Hongwu Tongbao cash coins. --Donald Trung (talk) 18:07, 26 August 2018 (UTC)