Item number: A1020

Year: AD 1678

Material: Brass

Size: 23.1 x 23.3 x 1.1 mm

Weight: 3.45 g

Provenance:

1.Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is the “Zhaowu Tongbao,” a coin issued by Wu Sangui, who played a significant role during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. In March of the 17th year of the Kangxi reign (AD 1678), after five years of rebellion against Emperor Kangxi, Wu Sangui declared himself emperor in Hengyang, Hunan, and established the state with the title “Great Zhou.” The “Zhaowu Tongbao” coins were minted and circulated according to the era name he adopted during his brief reign.

The “Zhaowu Tongbao” is a typical square-holed coin. On the obverse, the coin is inscribed with the four Chinese characters “昭武通寶” (Zhaowu Tongbao) in regular script , arranged in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side of the coin is plain, with no additional markings. The “Zhaowu Tongbao” coins are known to exist in two main variants based on the script style: the more common regular script version and the rarer seal script version.

Wu Sangui was a former Ming general who surrendered to the Qing forces, assisting them in entering Shanhai Pass and pursuing the remnants of the Southern Ming until they were driven to Myanmar. He personally strangled the Southern Ming’s Yongli Emperor with a bowstring, earning significant favour from the Qing Dynasty. As a reward, Wu Sangui was granted the titles of “Prince Who Pacifies the West” (平西王) and given control over Yunnan and Guizhou, making him one of the most prominent Han officials in the early Qing period.

In AD 1673, shortly after Emperor Kangxi ascended the throne, the “Reduction of the Feudatories” policy was implemented, which aimed to diminish the power of regional princes. This policy angered Wu Sangui, prompting him to rebel. He formed an alliance with Geng Jingzhong, the “Prince Who Pacifies the South” (靖南王) in Fujian, and Shang Zhixin, the “Prince Who Pacifies the South” (平南王) in Guangdong, along with the Kingdom of Tungning in Taiwan, under the pretence of avenging the Ming Dynasty.

The rebellion, known as the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, lasted until AD 1681 when Qing forces successfully entered Kunming, Yunnan, compelling Wu Sangui’s grandson to commit suicide, thereby ending the uprising.

Starting in AD 1659, after Wu Sangui took control of Yunnan, the region’s remoteness made it difficult for Central Plains coins to circulate there. To address this, Wu Sangui took advantage of Yunnan’s abundant copper resources to mint his own coins, which were used in Yunnan and Guizhou and became widely circulated even in neighbouring Annam (modern-day Vietnam). After the Qing court successfully suppressed Wu Sangui’s forces in AD 1681, the government made two attempts to recall the coins minted by the Great Zhou regime. However, these efforts were largely ineffective, and the coins continued to circulate locally until the late Qing period.

物件編號: A1020

年代: 公元 1678 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 23.1 x 23.3 x 1.1 mm

重量: 3.45 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是在明末清初扮演重要角色的吳三桂，於康熙17年 (公元1678年) 3月，起兵反抗康熙的第五年後，於湖南衡陽自立為皇帝，國號為「大周」，按照其年號鑄造發行的「昭武通寶」。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻漢字楷書「昭武通寶」四字。錢幣背面則是光背。昭武通寶按照字型的差異，有較為常見的楷書版，以及較為罕見的篆書版。

吳三桂為明朝降將，協助清軍進入山海關和追擊南明殘餘勢力直到緬甸，親手以弓弦絞殺南明永曆皇帝有功，被清朝受封於雲南和貴州為「平西王」，成為清初政治地位最為顯赫的漢人。公元1673年，登基不久的康熙皇帝推行「削藩」政策，引起吳三桂的不滿。吳三桂聯繫福建的「靖南王」耿精忠、廣東的「平南王」尚之信和盤距在臺灣的東寧王國，以替明朝復仇為由發起叛亂。直到公元1681年，清兵成功進入雲南昆明逼迫吳三桂的孫子自刎，方才成功平定叛亂。

自公元1659年，吳三桂入主雲南後，由於地處偏遠使得中原的錢幣無法進入雲南。吳三桂便利用雲南豐富的銅礦自行鑄造錢幣，供雲南和貴州兩地使用，甚至在比鄰的安南也極為流通。公元1681年，清廷成功平定吳三桂的勢力後，先後曾經兩度要求地方回收大周政權鑄造的錢幣，然而效果不彰直到清末仍在當地持續流通使用。