Ban Liang coins Ancient Chinese coinage
obverse , reverse of ban liang coin western han dynasty. the ban liang coins take name 2 character inscription ban liang (chinese: 半兩; pinyin: bàn liǎng), means half liang. liang, chinese ounce, consisted of 24 zhu (chinese: 銖; pinyin: zhū), , equivalent of 16 grams. original ban liang weighed equivalent of 12 zhu – 8 grams; however, kept inscription when weight later reduced. means ban liangs found in great variety of sizes , calligraphic styles, same inscription, difficult classify , date exactly, of unofficial or local manufacture. these coins traditionally associated qin shi huang di, first chinese emperor, united china in 221 bc. history of han says: when qin united world, made 2 sorts of currency: of yellow gold, called yi , currency of higher class; , of bronze, similar in quality coins of zhou, bore inscription saying half ounce, , equal in weight inscription. archaeological evidence shows ban liang first issued in warring states period state of qin, possibly 378 bc. ...