Nông Văn Vân

Nguyên Long Thông Bảo

農文雲

元隆通寶

Item number: A3011

Year: AD 1833

Material: Bronze

Size: 22.0 x 21.8 x 0.5 mm

Weight: 1.85 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This is a “Nguyên Long Thông Bảo” coin cast in bronze by the rebel leader Nông Văn Vân, who originated from Cao Bằng Province, near the Sino-Vietnamese border. The coin was issued during his uprising against the Nguyễn dynasty in the 14th year of Emperor Minh Mạng’s reign (AD 1833). Nông Văn Vân minted this coin as part of his effort to legitimise his rebellion against the central court.

The coin follows the traditional Chinese-influenced square-holed cash coin design. On the obverse, the four Chinese characters “Nguyên Long Thông Bảo” (元隆通寶) are engraved in regular script (kaishu, arranged in the sequence of top, bottom, right, and left. The character “Nguyên” (元) at the top exhibits a slightly flowing, semi-cursive style, giving it a more dynamic appearance.

The reverse side bears no inscriptions or decorative motifs, but a faint concentric circle can still be discerned, likely serving as a decorative border or guide mark from the original casting process.

Nông Văn Vân belonged to the Tày ethnic group, which is predominantly concentrated in northern Vietnam and ethnically distinct from the Kinh majority that dominated the Nguyễn dynasty. His family held hereditary positions as local chieftains (tù quan) in Cao Bằng Province, and Nông Văn Vân himself inherited his father’s official post.

During the reign of Emperor Minh Mạng, tensions escalated between the imperial court and local communities as the Nguyễn administration began replacing hereditary native officials with centrally appointed bureaucratic administrators (lưu quan). This policy deeply antagonised local elites, including Nông Văn Vân.

In AD 1833 (14th year of the Minh Mạng), a major rebellion broke out in southern Vietnam led by Lê Văn Khôi, who happened to be Nông Văn Vân’s brother-in-law. In the wake of this southern uprising, and perhaps fearing implication or seizing a political opportunity, Nông Văn Vân also rose in rebellion.

He initially achieved significant success—capturing the provincial capital of Cao Bằng and laying siege to Lạng Sơn, alarming the Nguyễn court. However, imperial forces were soon dispatched to reclaim the territory. Nông Văn Vân fled to neighbouring Guangxi in the Qing Empire, where he recuperated before attempting a return. In AD 1834, during a renewed campaign, he was surrounded by imperial troops and perished in a forest fire. His severed head was sent to the imperial capital of Huế, where it was publicly displayed as a warning to others.

物件編號: A3011

年代: 公元 1833 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 22.0 x 21.8 x 0.5 mm

重量: 1.85 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚越南阮朝明命帝統治年間,出身於比鄰中國邊境高平省的反叛首領農文雲,於明命14年(公元1833年)起兵反抗朝廷之際鑄造的「元隆通寶」,材質為青銅。

錢幣形制為深受中國影響的方孔錢。錢幣正面按照上、下、右、左的順序,依序以漢字楷書書法鐫刻「元隆通寶」四字,上緣的「元」帶有些許行書飄逸的風格。錢幣背面沒有任何文字或圖案,但是依稀還有一道同心圓作為裝飾。

農文雲的族裔背景是主要分布在越南北部的岱依族,跟主導阮朝的京族有所不同。農文雲的祖先世代為當地的土官,農文雲也直接繼承其父親的官位。然而在明命年間,阮朝朝廷派遣大量的流官進入這些世襲土官的地盤,使得地方和朝廷之間的矛盾逐漸升溫。明命14年 (公元1833年),越南南部爆發黎文𠐤主導的反叛,黎文𠐤恰好是農文雲的妹夫,為此受到牽連的農文雲也決定起兵反叛。農文雲先是攻下高平省城又圍困諒山省城震撼朝廷,然而阮朝隨後派兵收復失地,農文雲則逃往相鄰的清帝國廣西休養後再度捲土重來。公元1834年,農文雲遭到官兵包圍並且被燒死於叢林,其頭顱遭到斬首被送往順化展示。

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=MZMPMAM1M8M2

ZENO.RU – Oriental Coins Database 網站

https://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=204739

更多相關訊息請參考:

王民同,〈越南古錢幣史述略〉,《北京市:中國錢幣》(4, 1992),頁29-35。

雲南省錢幣研究會、廣西錢幣學會編,《越南歷史貨幣》,北京:中國金融出版社,1993。

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