Item number: A1027

Year: AD 1644-1646

Material: Brass

Size: 24.7 x 23.1 x 0.6 mm

Weight: 1.95 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a brass coin from the late Ming Dynasty, minted by Zhang Xianzhong after he captured Chengdu in Sichuan in AD 1644 and established the “Great Xi” regime. The coin bears the era name “Dashun,” which he adopted during his rule.

The coin features a typical square-holed design. On the obverse, four Chinese characters, “Dashun Tongbao” (大順通寶), are inscribed in a style that combines regular script and clerical script, following the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. Notably, the strokes of the “川” radical on the left side of the character “順” are highly distorted and distinctive.

The reverse side of the coin has a Chinese character “工” inscribed at the bottom, indicating that this coin was minted under the supervision of the “Ministry of Works” (工部).

Zhang Xianzhong modelled this system after the traditional “Six Ministries” (六部) structure used by successive Chinese dynasties, with the Ministry of Works being primarily responsible for managing resources and overseeing construction projects.

According to historical records, after Zhang Xianzhong captured Sichuan, he confiscated Buddhist statues from temples and copperware from the princely estates to mint the “Dashun Tongbao” coins. In addition to the plain reverse version, some coins had characters like “Gong” (工), “Hu” (戶), or “Chuan” (川) inscribed on the reverse side, with the “Hu” and “Chuan” varieties being the rarest.

Furthermore, local gazetteers document that the people of Sichuan would attach the “Dashun Tongbao” to their hats when leaving their homes as a means of identification by Zhang Xianzhong’s troops. Those who did not wear the coin were considered enemies and were at risk of being killed by the soldiers.

During Zhang Xianzhong’s brief three-year rule over Sichuan, he faced the advancing Qing forces and initiated large-scale massacres in Chengdu, leading to a significant decline in the population. This period of devastation was so severe that tigers were reportedly seen roaming the deserted streets of the city. In AD 1647, while fleeing, Zhang Xianzhong was killed by Qing forces. His remaining forces, led by his adopted son Sun Kewang, retreated to Yunnan, where they eventually surrendered to the Qing dynasty in AD 1657.

物件編號: A1027

年代: 公元 1644-1646 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.7 x 23.1 x 0.6 mm

重量: 1.95 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚明朝末年，起兵於陝西的張獻忠在公元1644年攻克四川成都，於當地自立「大西」政權並以其「大順」年號所鑄造的銅錢。

錢幣外觀為典型的方孔錢形制。錢幣正面以楷書兼隸書的書法，按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序鐫刻四個漢字「大順通寶」，其中「順」字左側的「川」筆劃極為扭曲和具備特色。

錢幣背面的下側鐫刻一個漢字「工」，代表這枚錢幣是由張獻忠仿效中國歷代朝廷的「六部」制度，轄下主要負責資源管理和工程建設的「工部」監造。

根據文獻記載，張獻忠攻克四川後沒收寺廟的佛像和藩王府內的銅器鑄造「大順通寶」。錢幣除了光背版本外，尚有背面鐫刻「工、戶、川」字的種類，其中以「戶、川」兩者最為罕見。

此外按照地方志的紀錄，四川民眾出門時會將「大順通寶」別於帽子上供張獻忠的軍隊識別，若沒有佩帶這枚錢幣就會被軍隊視為反對者加以殺害。

張獻忠在統治四川短短三年的時間，面對清兵後續的大舉進逼在成都發起大規模的屠殺，使得人口大幅下降並留下老虎出沒於鬧市街道上的紀錄。公元1647年，逃亡途中的張獻忠為清軍殺害後，殘部在義子孫可望領導下退入雲南，直到公元1657年降於清廷為止。