Item number: A2759

Year: AD 1713 dated

Material: Brass

Size: 26.1 x 26.1 x 0.8 mm

Weight: 4.15 g

Manufactured by: Marked as Bao Quan Bureau (Baoquan Mint)

Provenance: Da Chen Stamps and Coins Collection 2019

This is a coin inscribed as having been cast by the Baoquan Mint of the Qing dynasty, bearing the legend “Kangxi Tongbao”. Due to its distinctive features, it is commonly referred to by the nickname “Luohan coin (Arhat coin)”.

The coin follows the traditional East Asian form of round coinage with a square central hole. The obverse inscription, “Kangxi Tongbao”, is written in regular script, read from top to bottom and right to left. The character “Xi” is rendered in a simplified form, lacking the customary left vertical stroke, a distinctive feature of the so-called “Luohan coin”. Additionally, the radical “辵” in the character “Tong” appears in its single-dot form (“辶”) rather than the double-dot form (“⻍”) found in other variants. These two features are widely recognised as diagnostic of the Luohan type. Moreover, the “Bao” character’s “貝” component shows chisel marks that disconnect the middle horizontal strokes from the vertical stroke on the right. This structure reflects a common Qing-era form of the character, but the fresh appearance of the incisions suggests they were engraved post-casting, possibly indicating that this coin is a later private imitation.

The reverse bears the Manchu inscription “ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ”, transliterated as “Boo Ciowan”, referring to the Baoquan Mint under the Ministry of Revenue, located in Beijing and responsible for casting coins for official and civilian circulation. Both the inner and outer rims of the coin are present; the outer rim is significantly wider than that of ordinary circulating currency, corresponding instead to ceremonial, decorative, or ritualistic coin types used in palace settings, as pendants, or for hanging on lanterns.

The term “Luohan coin” does not appear in historical sources. Its earliest known mention is in the “Treatise on Standard Coinage” (“Zhiqian Tongkao”) by Tang and Kun, dated between AD 1851 and 1853 (Xianfeng 1–3), which described the coin as possessing a fine copper tone, with a brilliant lustre and precious hue when melted and recast, hence being rare and widely esteemed. Over time, a variety of popular legends developed regarding the coin’s origin. The most widespread version claims that in AD 1713 (Kangxi 52), the Baoquan Mint cast these coins as a tribute for the Kangxi Emperor’s sixtieth birthday, referring to them as “Longevity coins”. Another tale suggests they were concealed within the abdomens of Luohan statues as sacred deposits. A further account links the coins to the Qing military expedition to Tibet (AD 1717–1720), during which General Nian Gengyao is said to have melted down gilded bronze Buddha statues to cast coins to fund the campaign, thereby imbuing them with traces of gold and religious aura. However, modern metallurgical analyses have confirmed that Luohan coins contain no gold. Another version tells of a Luohan statue discovered during restoration works at Jingci Temple in Hangzhou during the Daoguang reign. Monks allegedly found such a coin within the statue and associated it with the “Longevity coin” legend, promoting the belief that wearing the coin would bring the bearer the protection of Luohan, thereby encouraging public donations. The motif of coins cast from melted religious statues acquiring spiritual power is not unique; similar legends exist for earlier coins such as “Huichang Kaiyuan” and “Zhou Yuan Tongbao”, and even Japan’s “Kanei Tsuho”.

The modern fame of the “Luohan coin” in China is largely due to the revival of the Shanghai opera “Luohan Qian” in the 1980s. In the play, the protagonist Zhang Ai-ai and the young man Li Xiaowan exchange Luohan coins as tokens of love. When Ai-ai’s mother, Xiao Feie, discovers the coin, it evokes memories of her own lost youth, when she was forced by her parents to forgo her true love. Determined to help her daughter escape the same fate, she supports Ai-ai’s pursuit of a free marriage. In the narrative, the Luohan coin symbolises not only romantic love but also intergenerational emotional continuity and a critique of traditional values. The play, adapted from Zhao Shuli’s 1950 short story “Registration”, was written to promote the newly enacted Marriage Law of the People’s Republic of China. The widespread popularity of the play helped to further popularise the cultural significance and perceived value of the Luohan coin.

The Kangxi Emperor, personal name Aisin Gioro Xuanye, was the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty and the first to exercise actual power after the dynasty’s entry into China proper. He reigned from AD 1661 to 1722, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in Chinese history. Ascending the throne as a child, he later consolidated power by eliminating the regent Oboi, quelling the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, recovering Taiwan, and signing the Treaty of Nerchinsk with Russia to establish clear borders. Domestically, he implemented tax and labour reforms, regularised land registers, reduced the fiscal burden on the populace, and undertook several inspection tours in southern China. He promoted education, sponsored the compilation of the “Kangxi Dictionary”, and established the special imperial examination known as the “Boxue Hongru” (“Broad and Profound Scholars”) programme. His reign ushered in a period of stability and prosperity, laying the foundation for the Qing dynasty’s peak during the subsequent Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns.

物件編號: A2759

年代: 標示為公元 1713 年

材質: 黃銅

尺寸: 26.1 x 26.1 x 0.8 mm

重量: 4.15 g

製造地: 標示為寶泉局

來源: 大城郵幣社 2019

這是一枚標為清代寶泉局所鑄「康熙通寶」，由於其形制，特冠以「羅漢錢」之別名​。

錢幣形制為漢文化圈傳統之方孔圓錢。錢面錢文為漢文「康熙通寶」楷書，由上至下，由右至左對讀。「熙」字寫為無左豎撇之「熙」，而非按常例寫為「熈」；「通」字「辵」旁寫為單點「辶」而非其他版別的雙點「⻍」，此二者為公認「羅漢錢」之特徵。此外，「寶」字「貝」旁有鑿痕，將「貝」旁中二橫筆與右豎劃分斷，使「貝」旁結構成為清代之常見寫法，截痕嶄新，應為完鑄事後鑿刻，或許代表該「羅漢錢」為後世私鑄​。

錢背錢文為滿文「ᠪᠣᠣ ᠴᡳᠣᠸᠠᠨ」，即「寶 泉」，寶泉局為戶部下屬之鑄錢機構，位於北京，鑄幣供官民流通。錢面背外輪內廓俱全，外輪較實際流通之行用幣極寬，於清代屬宮錢、墜帷錢、掛燈錢等非行用錢之形制。

羅漢錢於史無載，最早由咸豐元年至咸豐三年(公元1851-1853年)，唐與崑所著之《制錢通考》所記，稱其「銅色頗佳」，鎔銷鑄器，則「明亮而有寶色」，是故少見且「俗甚愛重」。流傳至今，民間傳說版本多元，暫分數大類如後。流傳最廣者為康熙五十二年(公元1713年)寶泉局為賀康熙六十大壽而進獻，稱「萬壽錢」，並有說供奉於佛像羅漢之腹中，作為佛臟錢(佛腸錢)。另說為清征西藏戰役(公元1717-1720年)中，年羹堯為補軍資，鎔銷佛寺銅像而鑄錢，因佛像鎏金，故所鑄錢亦含金，因而廣受追捧。惟當代技術檢驗，所謂羅漢錢皆未含金。還有一說，為道光年間，杭州淨慈寺準備重修，僧人因而於一羅漢像之腹中發現此形制之錢，於是附會萬壽錢傳說，宣傳身佩此錢可受羅漢保佑，以此求信眾布施。無獨有偶，鎔佛鑄錢，而使錢帶有神秘力量的故事結構，古於「會昌開元」、「周元通寶」已有，據傳，日本「寬永通寶」亦有類似傳說。

而「羅漢錢」於近代中國之名聲，主要源於公元1980年代復排之滬劇《羅漢錢》。劇中，女兒張艾艾與青年李小晚相戀，互贈羅漢錢為定情信物。當母親小飛娥發現此物，喚起其年輕時因父母之命錯失愛情的記憶，遂毅然支持女兒追求自由婚姻，試圖打破舊日命運的循環。「羅漢錢」在劇中既是愛情的象徵，也凝聚了代際情感的連結與對傳統價值的反思。該劇改編自趙樹理所作短篇《登記》，於公元1950年寫就，目的為宣傳中華人民共和國之新《婚姻法》。《羅漢錢》劇作傳播廣泛，使「羅漢錢」之珍貴也隨之家喻戶曉。

康熙帝，名愛新覺羅·玄燁，是清朝第四位皇帝，亦為入關後首位實際掌權者，公元1661年至1722年在位，是中國歷史上在位最久的皇帝之一。他幼年即位，成年後削除權臣鰲拜，平定三藩之亂、收復臺灣，並與俄國簽訂《尼布楚條約》，確立邊界。內政上推行賦役改革、整飭田籍、減輕賦稅，多次南巡察民情，重視文教，主持編纂《康熙字典》，並設立博學鴻儒科。康熙帝統治期間政局穩定、經濟發展，開創「康乾盛世」之基，為清朝鼎盛奠下根基。