The North and South Dynasties .28420.E2.80.93581.29 Ancient Chinese coinage

1 north , south dynasties (420–581)

1.1 southern dynasties

1.1.1 song (420–79)
1.1.2 liang (502–556)
1.1.3 chen (557–89)


1.2 northern dynasties

1.2.1 northern wei (386–534)
1.2.2 northern qi (550–77)
1.2.3 northern zhou (557–81)

the north , south dynasties (420–581)

obverse , reverse of yong wu zhu coin.

the north , south dynasties era long period of disunity , strife. north , south of china each ruled 2 separate successions of dynasties. during period, coin inscriptions other (nominal) weights, such names or year titles, introduced, although wu zhu coin still issued. seal script remained norm inscriptions , coins of highly regarded calligraphy produced. however, general coinage of poor quality. in 465, permission granted people mint coins. thousand of these goose eye coins resulted made pile less 3 inches (76 mm) high. there others, still worse, called fringe rim coins, not sink in water , break in 1 s hand. in market, people not bother counting them, pick them handful. peck of rice sold 10,000 of these. reforms emperor ming 465 onwards, had limited success in improving quality of coinage.

southern dynasties
song (420–79)

si zhu (chinese: 四銖; pinyin: sì zhū; literally: 4 zhu ) no inner rims on obverse. issued emperor wen in 430, capital @ nanking. coinage office established under chamberlain palace revenues.
xiao jian (chinese: 孝建; pinyin: xiào jiàn; literally: xiaojian period ) reverse: si zhu (chinese: 四銖; pinyin: sì zhū; literally: 4 zhu ) poor coin, many variations. issued emperor xiao 454. actual weight nearer 2 zhu. withdrawn emperor ming in 467.
jing (chinese: 景和; pinyin: jǐng hé; literally: [jing period title] )
yong guang (chinese: 永光; literally: [yong guang period title] )
liang zhu (chinese: 兩銖; literally: 2 zhu )

the last 3 small coins, weighing 2 zhu, issued emperor fei in 465. jinghe , yongguang periods lasted few months, these coins rare. song capital @ nanking.

liang (502–556)

tai qing feng le (chinese: 太清豐樂; pinyin: tài qīng fēng lè; literally: tai qing, prosperous , happy ) attributed tai qing period (547–549) of emperor wu. hoard discovered in jiangsu containing 4,000 tai qing feng le coins various other sorts of coins showing not amulet had been claimed authorities.

chen (557–89)

tai huo liu zhu (chinese: 太貨六銖; pinyin: tài huò liù zhū; literally: large coin 6 zhu ) issued emperor xuan in 579. @ first coin equivalent ten wu zhus. later value changed one, , contemporary saying cried before emperor, arms akimbo said refer discontent among people caused this. seal character liu suggests arms akimbo posture. coin withdrawn in 582 when emperor died, , wu zhus adopted. chen capital nanking.

northern dynasties
northern wei (386–534)

tai wu zhu (chinese: 太和五銖; pinyin: tài hé wǔ zhū; literally: taihe [period] wu zhu ): although northern wei had been established in 386, turkish , mongolian tribes had retained nomadic way of life no need money until 495, when emperor xiao wen issued coin, @ capital datong in shanxi.
yong wu zhu (chinese: 永安五銖; pinyin: yǒng ān wǔ zhū; literally: yong [period] wu zhu ) coins first issued in autumn of second year of yongan (529) emperor xiao zhuang. said continued cast until 543 under eastern , western wei dynasties. during eastern wei dynasty, private coins nicknames such yongzhou green-red, liangzhou thick, constrained cash, auspicious cash, heyang rough, heavenly pillar, , red halter circulated, possibly yong wu zhus.

northern qi (550–77)

chang ping wu zhu (chinese: 常平五銖; pinyin: chángpíng wǔ zhū; literally: constant , regular wu zhu ) cast emperor wen xuan in 553. finely made. northern qi capital linzhang in hebei. under northern qi, there eastern , western coinage region, under chamberlain palace revenues. each regional director supervised 3 or 4 local services.

northern zhou (557–81)

bu quan (chinese: 布泉; pinyin: bù quán; literally: spade coin ) issued in 561 emperor wu of northern zhou dynasty. 1 worth 5 wu zhus. distinguish coin bu quan of wang mang—the stroke in middle of quan continuous. withdrawn in 576.
wu xing da bu (chinese: 五行大布; pinyin: wǔháng dà bù; literally: large coin of 5 elements [metal, wood, water, fire, , earth] ) issued in 574 emperor wu. intended worth ten bu quans. illegal coining produced specimens of reduced weight , authorities banned use of coin in 576. inscription found on amulets.
yong tong wan guo (chinese: 永通萬國; pinyin: yǒng tōng wànguó; literally: everlasting circulation in ten thousand kingdoms ) issued in 579 emperor xuan. there nominal weight 12 zhu, , coin meant equivalent ten wu xing coins.


the above coins, northern zhou 3 coins written in yu zhu (jade chopstick) style of calligraphy admired.


3 , 4 zhu coins small group of square , round coins not have hole in middle. attributed time of southern , northern dynasties. unsettled period produced poor coinage. obverse inscriptions give weight of 3 or 4 zhu. reverse inscriptions appear place names.




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