Item number: A966

Year: AD 1621

Material: Brass

Size: 24.9 x 24.9 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 3.4 g

Provenance:

1. Noonans 2022

2. D. L. F. Sealy Collection

This is a coin minted in AD 1621, the first year of Emperor Xizong’s reign, bearing the era name “Taichang,” which was that of his father, Emperor Guangzong, who tragically died just one month after ascending the throne. The coin was minted as an expression of filial piety toward his late father.

The coin features the typical square-holed design. On the obverse side, the four characters “Taichang Tongbao” (泰昌通寶) are inscribed in regular script in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The reverse side is plain, without any inscriptions or designs. As a supplementary minted coin, the “Taichang Tongbao” was produced in limited quantities but is known for its elegant design. It typically circulated alongside the “Tianqi Tongbao” coins, which were minted under Emperor Xizong’s own reign title.

Emperor Guangzong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Changluo, was the eldest son of Emperor Shenzong (Wanli Emperor) and was rightfully the heir apparent. However, his position as Crown Prince was challenged by the birth of another son to Emperor Shenzong’s favoured concubine, Consort Zheng. During Emperor Shenzong’s reign, Consort Zheng twice attempted to assassinate Zhu Changluo, leading to the infamous “Tingji Incident,” one of the most severe court intrigues since the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

On the first day of the eighth lunar month in AD 1620, Zhu Changluo successfully ascended the throne as emperor. Despite his dedication and hands-on approach to governance, his health quickly deteriorated. Seizing the opportunity, Consort Zheng arranged for several beauties to serve the emperor, leading to his physical exhaustion. Eleven days later, while celebrating his birthday, Emperor Guangzong fell gravely ill and was bedridden. The emperor’s condition worsened after receiving treatment from imperial physicians, which caused severe side effects like diarrhoea.

Subsequently, an official named Li Kezhuo from the Honglu Temple presented the emperor with a red pill, which seemed to improve his strength. However, when the emperor requested a second pill, he suddenly died in bed the following day, having reigned for only one month. This incident, known as the “Red Pill Case,” is one of the three great mysteries of the late Ming Dynasty.

物件編號: A966

年代: 公元 1621 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 24.9 x 24.9 x 0.8 mm

重量: 3.4 g

來源:

1. 諾南斯 2022

2. 大衛.萊斯利.福布斯.西利舊藏

這是一枚明熹宗登基的頭一年(公元1621年)，以其在位僅一個月便暴斃的父皇明光宗的年號「泰昌」所鑄造的錢幣，作為孝意的表現。

錢幣形制為典型的方孔錢。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序，依序以楷書書法鐫刻漢字「泰昌通寶」四字。錢幣背面為光背，沒有任何文字或圖案。「泰昌通寶」作為一種補鑄的錢幣，其發行數量不多但造型精美，通常和明熹宗以自己年號鑄造的「天啟通寶」共同流通。

明光宗朱常洛為明神宗的長子，是皇位繼承當之無愧的太子。然而後續神宗寵信的鄭貴妃亦生下一子，致使朱常洛的太子地位受到挑戰。明神宗仍在世之際，鄭貴妃曾兩次暗殺朱常洛未果，造成明朝立國以來最嚴重的宮廷仇殺「梃擊案」。公元1620年8月初一，朱常洛成功繼位為皇帝，凡事事必躬親和勤於政務卻累壞身體。心懷惡意的鄭貴妃趁隙挑選多名美女供皇帝寵信，致使十一天後慶祝皇帝生日之際，明光宗因為體力透支臥病不起。皇帝接受御醫治療卻產生腹瀉等嚴重的副作用。後續鴻臚寺的大臣李可灼向皇帝敬獻一種紅色藥丸，皇帝感覺體力有所改善，再次索要一粒藥丸。然而隔日明光宗便暴斃在床，前後繼位僅有一個月，便是明末三大奇案之一的「紅丸案」始末。