Qing Dynasty

Qianlong Tongbao

Aksu Bureau

乾隆通寶

阿克蘇局造

Item number: A1510

Year: AD 1761-1765

Material: Copper

Size: 24.3 x 24.5 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 3.9 g

Manufactured by: Aksu Bureau

Provenance: Fuchin Coin 2020

This is a Qianlong Tongbao coin minted in AD 1761 (the 26th year of the Qianlong reign) by the Aksu Bureau, established in southern Xinjiang. The coin is made of red copper.

The coin features the typical Chinese square-holed design, with a full and robust appearance. On the obverse side, the four Chinese characters Qianlong Tongbao (乾隆通寶) are engraved in the order of top, bottom, right, and left. On the reverse side, the left and right sides are inscribed with the mint location, Aksu, in Manchu script (᠇ᠴᠰᡠ) and Uyghur script (ئاقسۇ), respectively.

Aksu, an important oasis city on the northern edge of the Tarim Basin, means “white water” in Uyghur. In AD 1760 (the 25th year of the Qianlong reign), the Qianlong Emperor first established a mint in Yarkand, Southern Xinjiang, to reclaim pul coins left by the Dzungar Khanate. In the following year, AD 1761 (the 26th year of the Qianlong reign), another mint was established in Aksu, which had abundant copper resources. Craftsmen were transferred from Yarkand and Shaanxi to assist with the operation of the Aksu Mint.

In AD 1765 (the 30th year of the Qianlong reign), the Aksu Mint temporarily ceased operations, transferring its responsibilities to the Uqturpan (Ush) Mint. However, in AD 1799 (the 4th year of the Jiaqing reign), coin-minting operations were relocated back to Aksu. During the Qing Dynasty’s rule over Southern Xinjiang, the Aksu Mint became the longest-running and most productive mint in the region. It remained in operation until its permanent closure in AD 1892 (the 18th year of the Guangxu reign).

Since the Qianlong reign, following the conquest of the Dzungars in Northern Xinjiang and the Khoja uprisings in Southern Xinjiang, the region was incorporated into the Qing Empire. Local mints were established to produce coinage for the area. Notably, the Qing Empire generally used the Tianshan Mountains as a dividing line. In Northern Xinjiang, where Mongols, Manchus, and Han Chinese immigrants were more populous, minting practises followed those of Central China, with brass serving as the primary material for coinage. In contrast, in Southern Xinjiang, where Uyghurs were the majority, local customs were respected, and red copper was used as the main material, giving rise to what was colloquially known as “red cash.” The Qing administration further stipulated that the issuance and circulation of these two types of coinage would be divided geographically, with Turpan (Tokson) serving as the boundary.

物件編號: A1510

年代: 公元 1761-1765 年

材質: 紅銅

尺寸: 24.3 x 24.5 x 0.8 mm

重量: 3.9 g

製造地: 阿克蘇局

來源: 福君錢幣 2020

這是一枚由乾隆26年 (公元1761年)創立於新疆南部的阿克蘇局,以紅銅為材料鑄造的「乾隆通寶」。

錢幣形制為中國典型的方孔錢,外觀十分飽滿和厚實。錢幣正面按上、下、右、左的順序,鐫刻「乾隆通寶」四個漢字。錢幣背面的左右兩側,分別以滿文「᠇ᠴᠰᡠ」和維吾爾文「ئاقسۇ‎」標示鑄造的地點阿克蘇。

阿克蘇為塔里木盆地北緣的重要綠洲城市,在維吾爾語有「白水」的意思。乾隆25年 (公元1760年),乾隆先在南疆的葉爾羌設立鑄錢局,回收準噶爾汗國留下的普爾錢。於乾隆26年 (公元1761年),相繼在銅礦資源較為豐富的阿克蘇設立鑄錢局,並且從葉爾羌和陝西調派工匠協助營運。

乾隆30年 (公元1765年),阿克蘇局短暫停運其業務轉交至烏什。但是於嘉慶4年 (公元1799年),相關的鑄幣業務又從烏什遷回阿克蘇。阿克蘇是南疆在清朝統治時期,營運最久且產量最為龐大的鑄錢局,直到光緒18年 (公元1892年)方才永久歇業。

自從乾隆年間征討北疆的準噶爾和南疆的大小和卓之後,新疆就此納入清帝國版圖並且在當地設立鑄錢局鑄造錢幣。值得注意的是,清帝國大抵以天山山脈作為分界,於蒙古人、滿州和漢人移民較多的北疆多半效仿中原,以黃銅作為主要的鑄幣原料。而在維吾爾人較為集中的南疆,則尊重當地人的習慣以紅銅作為鑄幣原料,俗稱紅錢。統治新疆的清廷還特別規定,兩種錢幣的發行和流通地點以托克遜為分界。

類似/相同物件 請看:

臺灣 國立歷史博物館 National Museum of History

https://collections.culture.tw/nmh_collectionsweb/collection.aspx?GID=MBMKM6M6MXM2

中國 國家博物館 National Museum of China

https://www.chnmuseum.cn/zp/zpml/201812/t20181218_23658.shtml

更多相關訊息請參考:

蔡養吾,《中國古錢講話附古錢餘話》(台北市:淑馨出版社,1999)

高英民,《中國古代錢幣》(北京市:學苑出版社,2007)

王永生,《新疆歷史貨幣: 東西方貨幣文化交融的歷史考察》(北京:中華書局,2007)

王永生,〈清代阿克蘇局及其鑄錢研究—清代新疆鑄錢局研究之一〉《北京市:中國錢幣》,(2008),頁10-18

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