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Wu Sangui,
Liyong Tongbao
吳三桂 利用通寶
Item number: A963
Year: AD 1662-1678
Material: Brass
Size: 25.1 x 25.1 x 0.8 mm
Weight: 3.3 g
Provenance:
1.Noonans 2022
2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection
This is the “Liyong Tongbao,” a coin extensively minted by Wu Sangui in the regions of Yunnan and Guizhou before he declared himself emperor in March of the 17th year of Kangxi’s reign (AD 1678) and established the state with the title “Great Zhou” in Hengyang, Hunan. Wu Sangui played a significant role during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, and before his declaration as emperor, he issued the “Liyong Tongbao” coins within his territories to facilitate local economic transactions. These coins were produced in large quantities under his administration.
The “Liyong Tongbao” is a typical square-holed coin. On the obverse, the coin is inscribed with the four Chinese characters “利用通寶” (Liyong Tongbao) in regular script, arranged in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side of the coin is plain, without any additional markings. The “Liyong Tongbao” coins exhibit a wide variety of complex types, distinguished by differences in the script style, the structure of the radicals, and the presence or absence of denominations or mint marks on the reverse side.
Scholars have determined that the characters “Liyong” do not refer to a reign title or state name. Instead, they derive from the concept of “utilisation and welfare” (利用厚生), which emphasises economic development and the betterment of people’s lives. Due to Yunnan’s remote location, far from the Central Plains, it was difficult for the central government to supply currency to the region in a timely manner. Consequently, even before Wu Sangui rebelled against the Qing Dynasty, he had already begun minting his own coins using Yunnan’s abundant copper resources. These coins were used to facilitate trade with Tibet and Annam (modern-day Vietnam), exchanging natural resources like tea and minerals to cover the substantial costs of maintaining his military forces.
Another distinctive feature of the “Liyong Tongbao” is that it served as a type of “silver exchange coin” during the late Ming and early Qing periods. This coinage emerged in response to the market’s increasing preference for silver as a medium of exchange since the mid-Ming Dynasty. The “Liyong Tongbao” coins included markings on the reverse indicating their silver content or exchange rate, such as “厘” (Cash), “二厘” (Two Cash), “五厘” (Five Cash), and “壹分” (Candareen). These markings represented the copper-to-silver conversion rate, helping facilitate transactions in a period when silver had become more dominant in trade.
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.