The Yuan Dynasty
No.
Yu/1
Weight: 1980 grams/ 50 taels
Date: 1229-1305 A.D.
Inscriptions: 平陽路徵收課稅所銀伍拾兩/濟泉庫監柴汾/庫官壬謙王仲祿/府
Ping Yang Lu (District) Tax Collecting Bureau 50 Tael Silver. Treasury Ji Chuan, Guardian Chai Ji, Treasury Officers-Zen Chien, Wang Zhong Lu
Notes:
Yu/1 is a rarely seen Yuan 50 tael official salt tax silver. Its place name of "Ping Yang Lu" was specifically associated with the Yuan Dynasty, and referred to the territory of the present Shansi Province. During the reign of Emperor Tai Zhong (Wokotai Khan, 1229-1242 A.D., the son and successor of ChengkisKhan), the Tax Collecting Bureau was founded in the Ping Yang District specifically to collect salt tax. Afterward, more bureaus were established in other districts for the same purpose.
In the 9th year of Da Der (1305 A.D. Emperor Cheng Zhong, or Temur Khan), a major earthquake struck the Ping Yang District and caused serious damage and many injuries. To commemorate surviving the catastrophe, the imperial government that year renamed "Ping Yang District" as "Jin Ning District". (In Chinese, "Jin" has been an abbreviation of "Shansi", and "Ning" means "Peace")
Accordingly, Yu/1 should be cast in the period of 1229-1305.
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Yu/2
Weight: 185 grams/5 taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions: 真花銀記/真花銀記
Genuine Flowery Silver's Remark
Notes:
Cast in the later Yuan or early Ming Dynasty
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Yu/3
Weight: 50 taels
Date: 1301 A.D.
Inscriptions: 真定路/鹽榷胡樞/庫使孫向/庫副陳德/辛丑年/銀匠郭安
Zhen Ding Lu (District)"Yen Chue" (Salt Monopoly Bureau) "Hu Shu" (Name)
Commissioner of Treasury "Sung Hsiang" (Name)
Deputy Commissioner of Treasury "Cheng Der"(Name)
Hsin Chou Year (The celestial year of Hsin Chou) (The 5th Year of Da Der Reign of the Yuan Dynasty; 1301 AD)
Silversmith Kuo An
Notes:
The production and sale of salt were both regulated monopolies during the
Yuan Dynasty. It had been customary for merchants to buy a license from the
government which gave them permission to obtain an agreed quantity of salt from
a salt field and sell it in the markets. But, because too many officials
governing the salt production were caught accepting bribes from merchants
who intended to avoid license fees by smuggling salt, the Yuan government
changed the policy relating to salt in the 4th year of Da Der (1300 AD).
The new policy resulted in the abolition of the practice of granting salt
licenses; a number of official salt warehouses were established and
merchants were required to make purchases from these locations. All salt
produced was distributed to the official warehouses with the result that salt
fields no longer had any connection with the merchants.
This piece was cast from the payments used to purchase salt under the
procedure established by the new policy.
Collection of Tony Ma
No.
Yu/4
Weight: 180 grams/5 taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions:
None
Notes:
According to the seller of this piece, it was part of a hoard of 20-30 pieces of similarly shaped sycee excavated in Yunnan. The weight varied from a few taels to 20 taels. Only 3 of them were inscribed, but the inscriptions are no longer traceable, since the person who excavated them sold them before many people had a chance to view them.
Judging from its shape, we believe this piece was cast in the period between the latter Yuan and the early Ming Dynasty.
Collection of the webmaster
No.
Yu/5
Weight: 132 grams/3.67 taels
Date: N/A
Inscriptions: 花銀
Flowery Silver
Notes:
Collection of Lisa & Dan
More Yuan Specimens in Museums: National Historical Museum (Taiwan), Hanaga (Hong Kong)
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