In the second half of the seventh century, Japanese metal currencies emerged
A long time ago, Japan was in the Jomon Period, when Japan did not have the concept of "money", people traded rice, silk, cloth as currency, and lived a barter life, at this time people's main means of production were still dominated by stone tools, and even metal tools had not yet appeared, let alone metal money.
Remains of the Jomon period in Japan
Otsu City, an unscripted silver coin excavated from the site of Chongfu Temple
The emergence of real metal currency in Japan is already the asuka era, and the earliest existing metal currency in Japan is the unwritten silver coin of the seventh century, which is also the earliest silver coin in Japan. Otsu City, an unscripted silver coin excavated from the site of Chongfu Temple.
It was unearthed from the ruins of Daifuku in present-day Sakurai City, Nara Prefecture
There is also the rich money from the end of the seventh century, the earliest Japanese copper coin, which was excavated in 1998 during the excavation of the remains of Asuka Pond, and the earliest gold coin is the 760-year-old Kaiji Shengbao.
Kaiki Katsuho (Kaiki Katsuho), unearthed in Fushimi, Nara City
In the eighth century, and tongkaijun and the imperial twelve coins
China in the eighth century was in the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, when Japan fully learned from the Tang Dynasty and gradually entered a relatively prosperous era, the Nara era. In 708, with reference to the Tang Dynasty's Kaiyuan Tongbao, Japan minted "Hetong Kaijue" coins, including silver coins and copper coins.
And Tongkai Jue, Juan Tong Zhen, has the meaning of treasure.
Later, with the continuous minting of "He Tong Kai Jue" money, the circulation increased greatly, resulting in a sharp increase in prices. For example, in 711, that is, in the 4th year of Heyin, 1 yuan could buy 6 liters of millet, and in 751 (3 years of Tianping Shengbao), it would take 30 yuan to buy 6 liters of millet.
In order to cope with inflation, the rulers of Japan had to mint new copper coins, and stipulated that 1 new copper coin be exchanged for 10 old copper coins, but the copper content of copper coins did not increase. Since then, Japan's rulers have continued to mint new copper coins to replace old copper coins, and in 958 (Tentoku 2) of the Heian period, after 250 years, Japan minted a total of 12 kinds of copper coins, so it was called "Imperial Twelve Coins".
Dynasty Twelve Dollars
Wadong-yun, 708, Wadao 1 year;
Yingyuan Daiho, 848, 1968; Yingyuan Jinpo, 859, Teikan 1st year;
In the tenth century, the decline of Japan's ancient metal currency
Due to the continuous issuance of new copper coins, and the new copper coins are getting lighter and lighter, and the copper content is getting lower and lower, the value of copper coins has dropped rapidly, and the trust of the people in copper coins has gradually been lost, and people have gradually begun to stop using copper coins.
After the minting of the "Qianyuan Dabao" in 958, no new copper coins were minted, the circulation of Japanese metal currency was temporarily interrupted, people returned to trading with rice, silk, and cloth as alternative currencies, and Japan's ancient metal currency experienced a sharp decline.
In the twelfth century, money came from the ferry
By the middle of the Heian period, between about 794 and 1192, When China entered the economically developed Song Dynasty, a large amount of Chinese Song money flowed into Japan and gradually spread in trading.
Envoy ship to Tang Dynasty China in Japan
Later, the Kamakura shogunate in Japan also acquiesced to this situation, so japan's trading currency was re-concentrated on metal money, but the copper coin at this time was Song money, which was called "Watanabe" in Japan.
Watanabe, that is, a large amount of Song money flowed into Japan, the most of which was the Emperor Song Tongbao
The use of ferry money continued until the sixteenth century, China entered the Ming Dynasty, with the implementation of the Chinese Ming Dynasty sea ban policy, the flow of Chinese copper coins into Japan was gradually interrupted, the circulation of Japanese metal currency was reduced again, people began to pay with rice, barter life returned again.
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