Item number: A1018

Year: AD 1662-1678

Material: Brass

Size: 24.1 x 24.3 x 1.2 mm

Weight: 3.9 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, featuring a noticeable perforation along the lower edge of its outer rim. On the obverse, the coin bears the four Chinese characters “利用通寶” (Liyong Tongbao) in regular script, arranged in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. The script is particularly fine and delicate, making it difficult to discern at first glance, especially as the surface has been worn and patinated over time, adding layers of corrosion and oxidation that obscure the inscriptions.

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” (利用) 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.

物件編號: A1018

年代: 公元 1662-1678 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.1 x 24.3 x 1.2 mm

重量: 3.9 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，於康熙初年至康熙17年 (公元1678年) 3月於湖南衡陽自立為皇帝，創建國號為「大周」以前，於其管轄的雲南和貴州兩地大量鑄造的「利用通寶」。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢，在外廓的下緣處有一個明顯的穿孔。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序以漢字楷書鐫刻「利用通寶」四字，其十分纖細的字體在表面經過歲月成形的鏽蝕和包漿下，使人們難以第一眼便作出識別。

錢幣背面則是光背。利用通寶按照字體部首和背面有無紀值或紀地的差異，擁有極為豐富複雜的版別。

「利用」兩字根據學者考證，並非為年號或國號的意思，其出處是提倡重視經濟的「利用厚生」思維。雲南遠離中原的地理限制，使得朝廷中央鑄造的貨幣難以及時輸往當地。因此在吳三桂起兵反叛清朝以前，就有利用雲南豐富的銅礦自行鑄幣，並且以茶葉和礦產等天然資源和西藏跟安南兩地有密切的商業來往，以解決駐軍所需的龐大開銷。

此外利用通寶的獨特之處在於，它是明末清初之際，為了應對明中葉以來市場逐漸習慣使用白銀作為交易媒介所出現的一種「折銀錢」，即標示銅銀兌換比的銅錢，版型有背面鐫刻「厘」、「二厘」、「五厘」和「壹分」。

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。