Item number: A122

Year: Qing Dynasty, AD 1636-1911

Material: Brass

Size: 25.0 x 25.0 mm

Weight: 3.18 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This item is a “Wu Zi Deng Ke (Five Sons Achieving Success)” Chinese charm. The inscription on the obverse reads “Wu Zi Deng Ke” (Five Sons Achieving Success) while the inscription on the reverse reads “Zhuang Yuan Ji Di (Top Scholar)”. It belongs to the category of auspicious money.

The term “Zhuang Yuan Ji Di (Top Scholar)” is an ancient designation for those who achieved the highest rank in imperial examinations. The story of “Wu Zi Deng Ke (Five Sons Achieving Success)” originates from folklore. According to tradition, during the Later Zhou dynasty of the Five Dynasties period, Dou of the Swallow Hills had five sons who were all virtuous and talented, and they consecutively achieved the highest rank in imperial examinations, hence the term “Five Sons Achieve Success.” This story is also found in the Three Character Classic: “Dou of the Swallow Hills had the right method. He taught five sons, each of whom raised the family reputation.”

Yasheng coins, also known as “Yansheng coins” or “flower coins,” were not formal currency. Initially, they were primarily used for prayers for good fortune and to ward off evil spirits. Over time, their usage became more widespread. These coins were minted from the Western Han Dynasty to the early Republic of China, with a particular abundance and variety during the Qing Dynasty. Due to their non-circulatory nature, these coins typically exhibit coarse craftsmanship, lacking standardized weight and dimensions, and featuring varied designs. Consequently, these coins are collectively referred to as charm coins within folk parlance.

物件編號: A122

年代: 清代, 公元 1636-1911 年

材料: 黃銅

尺寸: 25.0 x 25.0 mm

重量: 3.18 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

此物為五子登科花錢，正面錢文為「五子登科」，背面則為「狀元及第」，屬於吉語錢類別。狀元及第為考中狀元的古稱。五子登科的典故源自民間故事，相傳五代後周時期，燕山府的竇禹鈞的五個兒子都品學兼優，先後登科及第，故稱「五子登科」。此典故亦可見於《三字經》：「竇燕山，有義方，教五子，名俱揚」。

壓勝錢又稱厭勝錢、花錢，非正式流通的貨幣，最初主要用於祈吉、驅邪，而後使用範圍越趨廣泛。從西漢至民初均有鑄造，尤以清代為盛，種類繁多。由於不用於流通，所以它們的鑄工大都比較粗糙，重量和尺寸亦沒有統一的標準，形制上更是各有不同。因此，民間將這種有錢幣的外形，卻不能發揮流通作用的錢幣，統稱為「花錢」。