Preface
The existence of ancient silver seems to be an unbelievable fact, and archaeologists have not only found silver coins frequently in the ruins, but also left rich records of silver in various ancient documents. Marx once said that money is the product of the development of commodity exchange to a certain extent.
So, how has China's currency changed, how did silver become dominant, and more importantly, why did it end up being lost in large quantities? Let's explore this little-known history.
1. The evolution of currency from shellfish to metal coins
The evolution of currency can be traced back to the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, when the most commonly used currency was the "shell currency". These natural seashells became the earliest currency because they were relatively scarce and had a certain value.
But with the passage of time, the form of shellfish coins is also constantly changing, from the original sea shells, to the later tooth shells, stone shells, bone shells, etc. This evolution reflected the socio-economic development of the time, and the demand for money was increasing.
In the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the name "money" appeared, but it did not refer to what we call money now, but to some agricultural tools. The reason why agricultural tools have also become the currency in circulation is because at that time, everyone was mainly farming, and these tools were necessities for production and life, and had a certain exchange value.
During the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, these currencies were given another name - "cloth coins". This shows that even some daily necessities, as long as they have a certain scarcity and exchange value, can become a carrier of money.
In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the economy developed to a certain extent, and metal currency appeared. These natural currencies, such as "knife coins" and "shovel coins", gradually faded out of the stage of history, and artificial currencies began to appear.
This marked a qualitative change in the form of money, which was no longer limited to natural objects, but artificially made metal products. This change reflected the increase in the productivity of society at that time, and people's demand for money was more diversified.
After Qin Shi Huang unified China, copper coins with round square holes appeared, and the whole country had a common currency. This not only facilitated trade exchanges, but also strengthened the dominance of the state.
By the Han Dynasty, silver had also appeared, but it had not yet been circulated as currency in the market, and copper coins were the most commonly used in the market. This shows that in different historical periods, the form and use of money are different, reflecting the characteristics of the social economy at that time.
In general, the evolution of currency from shellfish coins to metal coins has witnessed the development and changes of China's social economy over thousands of years. This change is not only reflected in the transformation of the form of money, but also in the use function and social status of money. Through these changes, we can better understand the operating mechanism and development of ancient Chinese society.
2. The rise and loss of silver
Silver first appeared as currency in the Tang Dynasty, when silver came in a variety of shapes and had traces of teeth on it. This is because the common people at that time were accustomed to bite it with their teeth in order to verify the authenticity of the silver.
Although this practice was simple and crude, it also reflected the importance that society attached to the authenticity of money at the time. After all, in the absence of modern means of detection, only this primitive way of judging the quality of silver can be relied upon.
By the Song Dynasty, silver was no longer the main currency, because of the emergence of paper money "jiaozi". However, silver was still a status symbol, and it was often used when trading between high-ranking officials and nobles.
The fact that the common people had little access to silver shows that the social class differences at that time were very obvious. Silver is no longer a simple trading tool, but a luxury item that shows status.
It wasn't until the Ming Dynasty that silver officially became the official currency. This is because copper coins, although convenient, are too cheap to be held as easily as silver. This shift reflected the change in the demand for money in society at the time.
Copper coins, although readily available, were of low value and were not sufficient to meet people's demands for currency. In contrast, silver is not only more valuable, but also more portable, so it is favored by more people.
So why is there a lot of silver lost? One of the big reasons is infighting. For thousands of years in China, the change of dynasties has become a common thing, and whether it is a struggle on the surface or in the dark, the most needed thing is silver.
For some high-ranking officials, gold and silver are even more precious. They often used large amounts of silver to maintain their position of power, such as spending large amounts of silver to buy weapons and equipment during war, or using silver as a funeral object when the emperor died. This behavior not only wastes a lot of silver, but also exacerbates the loss of silver.
In addition to infighting, war reparations were also an important cause of the massive loss of silver. In the later wars between China and foreign countries, China was repeatedly defeated and had to cede land and pay indemnities, and these indemnities were paid in the form of silver. This undoubtedly accelerated the outflow of silver, making the domestic silver reserves less and less.
In addition, there were many corrupt officials at that time, who secretly shipped silver overseas, which was also an important reason for the loss of silver. These corrupt officials use their power to secretly transfer domestic silver abroad in exchange for personal gain. This behavior not only harms national interests, but also exacerbates the loss of silver.
Of course, there is also an element of deliberate action by the great powers. Some foreign forces joined forces with people in the interior to smuggle enough silver taels from the mainland abroad, and in turn imported large quantities of silver dollars into China that were not in good condition. This behavior not only led to the loss of silver, but also affected the domestic currency market. During the Qing Dynasty, some officials raised this issue, but it was not completely resolved.
By the time of the Republic of China, the silver dollar became the main currency, and because there were fewer and fewer silver dollars in the market, there were almost no silver mines that could be mined, so there were big problems in the economy. This situation in turn led to the re-outflow of silver dollars, making silver scarce in China. This has also been mentioned in the research of many archaeologists.
In general, the rise and loss of silver reflects the political, economic, and cultural changes in China over the past few thousand years. From the initial status symbol, to the major currency, to today's various new forms, the fate of silver is closely related to the development of Chinese society.
Factors such as civil wars, war reparations, and corrupt officials were all important reasons for the massive loss of silver. This loss not only affects the country's economic development, but also reflects the challenges that China has faced in the course of its history.
3. Although the silver is gone, it has not disappeared
Although there is a massive loss of silver in China, it does not mean that it has disappeared completely. Silver now exists in another form in our lives!
For example, the mobile phone we hold in our hands, the necklace we wear around our necks, and the shoes we wear on our feet, there is no shortage of silver involved. Even in medical care, automobiles, and ships, silver plays its role as a conductive material. These items in daily life are inseparable from the excellent electrical conductivity of silver.
We can say that although silver is no longer the main currency, it has been integrated into every aspect of our lives. It is no longer a simple trading tool, but has become an important foundation for the development of modern industry and technology.
Looking at it this way, silver has not disappeared, but it has changed its form to exist around us! To a certain extent, the development of silver reflects the progress of Chinese society.
From shellfish coins to metal coins to various new forms today, the changes in silver have witnessed China's social and economic development for thousands of years. Although we can no longer see the silver of antiquity, through it we can see the characteristics of each era.
For example, in the Tang Dynasty, silver still bears traces of teeth, reflecting the importance that society attached to the authenticity of currency at that time. By the Song Dynasty, silver had become a status symbol, reflecting differences in social class. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that silver officially became the official currency, which shows that the demand for currency in society at that time had changed.
These changes not only reflect China's economic development, but also reflect its political and cultural characteristics. Through the fate of silver, we can better understand the various changes in Chinese history.
Of course, the reasons for the massive loss of silver are also worth pondering. Factors such as civil wars, war reparations, and corrupt officials are all important reasons for the outflow of silver. These problems not only affect the domestic economic development, but also reflect the many challenges that China has faced in the course of history.
Overall, although silver is no longer in circulation as a major currency, it continues to exist in our lives in a variety of new forms. Through the study of the changes of silver, we can not only understand the course of China's economic development, but also get a glimpse of the trajectory of China's social change. It also provides us with a new perspective on how to recognize and understand Chinese history.
epilogue
The past and present of silver is indeed a little-known history. From the original shell coins, to the later metal coins, and then to the various forms of silver, the changes of silver have witnessed the development of China for thousands of years.
The reason for the massive loss of silver also reflects the political, economic, and cultural changes in China. Civil wars, war reparations, and corrupt officials were all important factors in the loss of silver.
However, silver has not disappeared completely, but is present in our lives in various new forms. Through these changes, we can also get a glimpse of the development of Chinese history.