A 50 Tael Sycee with Inscriptions Articulating the Salt Tax System of the Jing Dynasty

A 50 Tael Axed Sycee with Inscriptions Articulating the Salt Tax System of the Jing Dynasty

Weight: 1967 grams

Inscriptions: 解鹽使司大安二年二月十一日引領使照人王吉伍拾兩柒錢半行人鼎忠秤子魏直每兩貳貫參佰九十五(糸昏)判陳任理張(王巳)
(By) The Transporting Salt (Tax) Commissioner. In the 2nd Year the 2nd Month 11th Day of the Da An Reign (1209-1210. 1210) Received by the Recipient Wang Ji from the Commissioner a Receipt for (His Payment of Tax Silver) 51 Taels 7 1/2 Maces. Assayed Ding Chung. Weighed by Wei Chi. One Tael (of Silver) Is Equal to Paper note of 2 Guans 395 Cashes. Officers on Paper Note- Chen, Zen Li, Chang Si.

This is a gorgeous tax silver from the Jing Dynasty inscribed with several pieces of information relating to the salt tax system of that time.

It is also the first specimen we found dating to the reign of Da An that lasted for only two years, 1209-1210. This is a period equivalent to the 2nd and 3rd year of Jia Ding of the Southern Sung Dynasty.

The inscriptions detail the process of collecting salt tax in the Jing Dynasty-

   1. After collecting a considerable amount of salt tax silver, tax agents submitted them to the Transporting Salt (Tax) Commissioner.

   2. The submitted salt tax silver was recast by the commissioner into an unit weight in approximately 50 taels, and the exact weight of each sycee was inscribed on its surface.

   3. Every salt tax silver had to be assayed and weighed, and the exchange rate between silver and paper note had to be noted.

This is the 2nd piece with the similar detailed information on the salt tax system of the Jing Dynasty that we know of, the other one is housed in the Museum of the People's Bank of China in Beijing.

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