Southern Song Dynasty

Duanping Tongbao,

Five Cash

(Elongated Ping &

Narrow Tong)

南宋

端平通寶

折五

(長腳平&狹通)

Item number: A2714

Year: AD 1234-1236

Material: Bronze

Size: 36.0 x 36.1 x 2.7 mm

Weight: 14.2 g

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2015

This is a large denomination bronze coin of the Southern Song dynasty known as “Duanping Tongbao” (端平通寶), issued under Emperor Lizong. It is classified as a “zhe wu” (折五) coin, meaning its face value equalled five standard coins.

The coin conforms to the typical Chinese form of a round coin with a square central hole (“fang kong yuan qian” 方孔圓錢). The obverse bears the inscription “Duanping Tongbao” in regular script (“kaishu” 楷書), read from top to bottom and right to left. The reverse is plain and uninscribed. The final stroke of the character “Ping” (平) extends downward with a long terminal hook; the character “Tong” (通) is positioned relatively close to the rim; none of the four characters connect the central hole to the outer rim. The reverse is plain and uninscribed.

The “Duanping” coin is not recorded in official historical sources but is mentioned in Gui Er Ji (《貴耳集》), a collection by the Southern Song scholar Zhang Duanyi. The text states: “The Duanping coin was cast, valued at five per piece. A mint was established in the capital, but fewer than a thousand strings were produced, while the court spent over ten thousand strings. It was abolished in less than a month.” Here, “capital” refers to the imperial city.

During the Southern Song, both copper and iron coins were in circulation, with distinct regional zones of usage. In the southeast, the economy was dominated by the use of paper currency known as “hui zi” (會子), with copper coins primarily serving a supplementary role. Consequently, copper coin production was limited. Furthermore, the shortage of copper, which had persisted since the Jin and Tang dynasties, remained unresolved, and no additional copper was available for minting. The expansion of the Southern Song’s commercial economy also accelerated the outflow of copper coinage beyond the empire’s borders—a situation that persisted despite repeated prohibitions. As a result, coins of the “Duanping” series are extremely rare.

Emperor Lizong of Song, personal name Zhao Yun (趙昀), reigned from AD 1224 to 1264. He was the fifth emperor of the Southern Song dynasty and its longest-reigning monarch. Originally a member of the imperial clan, he was placed on the throne by the powerful minister Shi Miyuan through a manipulated imperial edict. During the early years of his reign, political authority was held entirely by Shi Miyuan, with Lizong playing little role in governance. In AD 1233, following Shi Miyuan’s death, Lizong began to rule personally. He appointed officials such as Hong Zikui and Zhen Dexiu, implemented administrative reforms, and restructured the financial system—an effort known in history as the “Duanping Reform” (端平更化).

In AD 1234, the Southern Song allied with the Mongols to eliminate the Jin dynasty and succeeded in recovering some lost territories. However, the Song court’s breach of the alliance by seizing the Three Capitals triggered military conflict with the Mongols, initiating a prolonged period of national decline. Lizong revered Neo-Confucianism and upheld the teachings of Zhu Xi. He posthumously honoured Zhu Xi with the title “Duke of Fidelity to the State” (信國公) and enshrined him, along with Zhou Dunyi, Cheng Hao, Cheng Yi, and Zhang Zai, in the Confucian Temple, thereby establishing Neo-Confucianism as the state’s orthodox ideology. This had a profound and lasting influence on subsequent generations.

In his later years, Emperor Lizong became indulgent in sensual pleasures and placed great trust in Consort Yan. Political power fell into the hands of influential ministers such as Ding Daquan and Jia Sidao, leading to rampant corruption and widespread public discontent. In AD 1264, Lizong died at the age of fifty-nine and was buried in Yongmu Mausoleum (永穆陵). As he had no sons, he designated his nephew Zhao Qi as crown prince, who ascended the throne as Emperor Duzong of Song.

物件編號: A2714

年代: 公元 1234-1236 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 36.0 x 36.1 x 2.7 mm

重量: 14.2 g

來源: 大城郵幣社 2015

這是一枚南宋理宗鑄行的青銅質「端平通寶」折五大錢。

錢幣形制為中國典型的方孔圜錢,正面錢文「端平通寶」楷書,由上至下,由右至左對讀。「平」字末筆腳長;「通」字離輪較狹;四字均未接穿連輪。錢背光素無文。

端平錢正史無載,惟見於南宋張端義之《貴耳集》,言「端平鑄錢,一當五。輦下置監,鑄不及千緡,費用朝廷萬緡。不一月罷。」輦為京城之意。南宋分用銅鐵錢,各有流布區域,東南銅錢區以行用會子為主,銅錢主要與會子相權,鑄造不多。加以晉唐以來缺銅鑄幣情形並未改善,亦無銅料可加鑄。南宋商品經濟的發達,也加速了銅錢流出境外,屢禁而不能止。端平錢因此罕見。

宋理宗(公元1224–1264年在位),名趙昀,是南宋第五位皇帝,也是南宋在位時間最長的皇帝。為史彌遠矯詔所立,即位初期,政權由史彌遠掌控,理宗對政務幾無過問。公元1233年史彌遠去世後,理宗開始親政,任用洪咨夔、真德秀等人,整頓吏治,改革財政,史稱「端平更化」。公元1234年,南宋與蒙古聯手滅金,收覆部分失地,但因南宋違約攻取三京,引發與蒙古的戰爭,導致國勢日衰。理宗崇尚理學,尊奉朱熹學說,追封朱熹為信國公,並將其與周敦頤、程顥、程頤、張載等理學家入祀孔廟,確立理學為官方正統思想,對後世影響深遠。晚年,理宗沈溺聲色,寵信閻貴妃,政權落入丁大全、賈似道等權臣之手,朝政腐敗,民怨沸騰。公元1264年,理宗病逝,享年59歲,葬於永穆陵。因無子嗣,立侄子趙禥為皇太子,是為宋度宗。

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=MSM7M2MAMXM2

中國國家博物館 National Museum of China

https://www.chnmuseum.cn/zp/zpml/hb/202203/t20220301_253847.shtml

更多相關訊息請參考:

彭信威,《中国货币史》,北京:中国人民大学出版社,2020。

趙會元,《中國錢幣大辭典·宋遼西夏金編·南宋卷》,北京:中華書局,2005。

小島毅著,游韻馨譯,《中國思想與宗教的奔流:宋朝》,新北:臺灣商務印書館,2017。

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