In the long history of China's monetary development, from the initial shell coins, cloth coins and other physical currencies, to the later metal coinage, and then to the emergence of paper money, every change in the form of currency reflects the progress of social economy and the development of civilization. However, it is curious why banknotes are rarely counterfeited when ancient counterfeiting techniques were relatively simple?
Jiaozi produced in the Song Dynasty is considered to be the world's earliest paper money. Since then, the Zhongtong banknotes of the Yuan Dynasty and the Daming treasure banknotes of the Ming Dynasty have appeared one after another. The anti-counterfeiting road of these banknotes provides us with a lot of inspiration.
First of all, the authorities have taken strict anti-counterfeiting measures. Special paper, exquisite patterns, and unique anti-counterfeiting marks have greatly increased the difficulty and cost of counterfeiting. Taking the Daming treasure banknote as an example, it used as many as a dozen processes, the paper was mixed with silk cotton, printed with exquisite patterns, and stamped with official seals, which were very advanced at that time.
Secondly, the law imposes very severe penalties for counterfeiting. Counterfeiting not only faces heavy penalties such as exile and capital punishment, but may also harm family members and even the nine clans. With such a high cost of violating the law, many people do not dare to take the risk of counterfeiting. The deterrent effect of the law has become an important barrier against counterfeiting.
In addition, printing technology at that time was relatively backward, and it was difficult to reproduce banknotes that were exactly the same as the real thing. Each banknote is hand-printed, and even if it is official, it is difficult to ensure that each one is exactly the same. This technical limitation objectively increases the difficulty of forgery.
At the same time, both official and non-governmental market supervision is also very perfect. The government set up special agencies to manage the issuance and circulation of currency, and sent officials to inspect the market. Ordinary people will also spontaneously report counterfeit money and assist the government in apprehending counterfeiters. Under this kind of joint supervision of the whole society, it is difficult for counterfeit money to circulate.
There was also a special profession in ancient society - money readers. They specialize in identifying the authenticity of banknotes, which is equivalent to a modern "money detector". These banknote distinguishers, with their rich experience and keen observation, provide important support for anti-counterfeiting work.
Finally, the culture of integrity was deeply ingrained in ancient societies. Counterfeiting is not only illegal, but also unethical. Under the influence of Confucian culture, people generally valued integrity and regarded counterfeiting as a shameful act. This value makes many people psychologically resistant to counterfeiting.
In short, the reason why ancient banknotes are rarely counterfeited is the result of a combination of factors. Strict anti-counterfeiting measures, severe legal punishment, backward printing technology, perfect market supervision, professional banknote distinguishers, and a strong culture of integrity have jointly built an anti-counterfeiting barrier. These experiences still have important implications for modern anti-counterfeiting work.