In the first quarter of this year
The mainland consumed 308.905 tonnes of gold
Year-on-year increase of 5.94%
From ancient times to the present day
The Chinese's love for gold has not changed
If you don't believe it, look down
🧇 How to have a piece of "golden chocolate" 🧇 in the museum
Stroll through the Jingzhou Museum
You're sure to be caught by this piece of "golden chocolate".
郢爯(yǐng chēng)
If you can't pronounce these two words, it doesn't matter
But if more than 2,000 years ago during the Warring States period of the Chu State
The shortcomings of the body are this, and the days can not be moisturized
Because it was a kind of gold coin of the Chu State at that time
△ Nanjing Museum collection of Yingjiao gold plate
Most of these gold coins are square in shape
There are also gold cakes that are flat and round
It is to print the seal inscription "Yingjiao" on a whole gold plate
That's why it's also called "Inzi Gold"
△ "Yingyao" copper seal, collection of the National Museum. When the gold is cast, it is a full-page casting, and when the gold plate is not yet cooled, the caster holds the "Yingjiao" stamp of copper casting, and uses a small hammer to print the top of the casting, and a seal is printed on the front of the Yingjin plate.
According to research, the Yingjiao gold version
The weight of each piece was about one catty (about 250 grams) made by Chu at that time
The gold content is generally more than 90%.
Good quality can reach 99%
It is also currently found in China
The earliest weighing gold currency
🧇 The name comes with its own origin and instructions for 🧇 use
郢爯(yǐng chēng)名字有点拗口
But it is not only anti-counterfeiting, but also explains how to use it:
"Ying" is the capital of the Chu State, Ying, indicating the place of issuance
"爯" is commonly known as "稱", which means to weigh and use
Taken together, it is "the weighing currency issued by Chu Guoying"
Simply put, it doesn't just look like chocolate
It is also similar to chocolate
Cut as much as you need
Divide into small pieces before weighing and using
So the Yingjiao we see basically have traces of cutting
△ Warring States Chu "Junyi" copper ring right, Hunan Provincial Museum collection. In order to adapt to the circulation and use of gold currency in Chu, there was a weighing balance and copper ring right in Chu.
In addition to Yingyao, the gold cake and gold plate of Chu are currently seen
There are also different characters such as "Chen Yao" and "Lu Jin".
However, Yingjiao is found in the largest number and has the widest distribution area
△ Chuiqiu Gold Edition, Chen Yao, Yingjiao, Collection of Henan Museum
🧇 Use gold coinage Why is the state of Chu so "entrenched". 🧇
In the late Spring and Autumn period, private commerce flourished
Metallic money, i.e., coinage, appeared
By the Warring States period
With abundant gold reserves
as well as well-developed smelting technology
The state of Chu was the only one that used gold to mint coins
△ Yingjiao and Antbi money (right) are both the currencies of Chu during the Warring States Period. Collection of Jingzhou Museum
These gold coins are mostly used for:
Inter-state courtesies, king's gifts, large transactions, etc
When used, it is easy to use hundreds of gold, thousands of gold
At least 一镒 (yì)
(Eridium, an ancient unit of weight, one eridium is twenty taels, and it is also said that twenty-four taels)
Current archaeological finds
Except for the territory under the jurisdiction of the state of Chu
In the neighboring countries with which the state of Chu had trade and military exchanges
There are unearthed gold coins and copper rings of the Chu State
However, the amount of gold unearthed in the territory of the state of Chu exceededs
The sum of all the gold excavated in the other vassal states
△ Yingjiao gold version, Huaiyuan County Museum collection
With a thriving economy, developed commerce
The state of Chu gradually became one of the "Seven Heroes of the Warring States".
It has written a strong stroke in history
as a precious metal
Gold has an important place in the history of Chinese currency
Gold coins of the State of Chu, including Ying
It not only condenses the changes of the Chu State in the past 800 years
It has also become an important reference for the study of ancient Chinese economic history and monetary history
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