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Three Kingdoms Period
Shu Wu Zhu
三國
蜀五銖
Item number: A240
Year: AD 189-214
Material: Bronze
Size: 21.0 x 21.0 x 1.3 mm
Weight: 2.3 g
Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2022
This is a bronze coin known as the “Shu Wu Zhu,” minted by Liu Yan and his son Liu Zhang, who ruled over the Sichuan Basin with the title of Governor of Yizhou during the late Eastern Han Dynasty, between the years of Zhongping 6 to Jian’an 19 (AD 189-214). The coin has a diameter of 21 mm and weighs around 2 g. The inscription “Wu Zhu” on the obverse side does not align closely with the inner and outer rims, while the reverse side lacks any inscription.
During the late Eastern Han Dynasty, while the central government minted currency under the reign of Emperor Ling and the domination of Dong Zhuo, local warlords in some regions also independently imitated the Wu Zhu coinage system to mint their own coins. The rugged terrain of the Sichuan Basin suffered less from the ravages of war, allowing Liu Zhang and his father to mint stable-quality currency.
In AD 214, faced with the threat of Zhang Lu from the neighbouring region, Liu Zhang invited Liu Bei to help quell the rebellion. However, Liu Bei took advantage of the situation and seized control of Yizhou, even allowing his soldiers to loot Chengdu to boost morale. From then on, Yizhou became the stronghold of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. Liu Bei, in order to raise funds to compete with Eastern Wu and Cao Wei, issued a large amount of debased currency in the region to plunder civilian wealth.
After Liu Bei’s death, Zhuge Liang, a highly praised chancellor in historical records, assisted the later ruler and issued the “Taiping Baiqian,” coins weighing less than 1 g, to raise military funds. At that time, Shu Han had only 940,000 population, yet it had to bear the heavy burden of 40,000 officials and a 100,000-strong army. Ultimately, in AD 263, the weakest Shu Han was annexed by Cao Wei, thus fading into history.