Item number: A3529

Reference Number: Lang & Lin#6-84

Year: AD 659-1100

Material: Bronze

Size: 24.5 x 24.5 x 2.8 mm

Weight: 5.85 g

Provenance: Stephen Album Rare Coins 2025

This specimen is an “lotus-root-core coin” (ouxin qian), of the four-perforation type, sporadically unearthed in the region of Semirechye, though its issuing authority remains unknown.

The obverse and reverse are identical in form. At the centre is a round perforation, with four elliptical perforations arranged around it in the cardinal directions, producing an appearance reminiscent of the cross-section of a lotus root, hence the name. Some have hypothesised a functional purpose and referred to them as “weight coins.” Another view regards them as crude imitations of the Kaiyuan tongbao: coins of that type with round perforations have been discovered in the same region, and occasionally examples are found with additional perforations in the recessed field. Certain lotus-root-core coins resemble Kaiyuan tongbao with the field excavated away, leaving only the inscription, the design thus appearing as a further abstraction of the Tang prototype. However, excavated examples display considerable variation. In addition to the central perforation with four surrounding holes, some specimens have as many as ten perforations encircling the centre. Others lack perforations but have excavated oval or circular grooves; still others replace the perforations around the central hole with raised bosses. Some examples even have outer rims irregularly cut into petal-like shapes. On this basis, some scholars have suggested that these objects may have been modelled upon textile spindle components, similar in character to the knife- and spade-shaped coins of the Warring States period in the Central Plains.

The Sogdian city-states were located primarily in Transoxiana (modern southwestern Uzbekistan). In Tang sources they were known collectively as the “Nine Surnames of Zhaowu” or “Nine Hu Surnames.” When travelling in China, Sogdians often adopted their state of origin as a surname, the most famous example being An Lushan, whose surname derived from the state of An. Despite the designation “Nine Surnames,” the group was not confined to nine polities, nor were they likely a single ethnic entity. Their origins may trace back to remnants of the Greater Yuezhi who, after being defeated by the Xiongnu, settled in the region and gradually intermingled with Turkic and other groups.

In AD 630, during the fourth year of Emperor Taizong’s Zhenguan reign, Tang generals Li Jing and Li Ji destroyed the Eastern Turkic Khaganate, expanding Tang influence in Central Asia. Thereafter, the Sogdian polities began sending tribute. In AD 659, during the fourth year of the Xianqing reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Tang court destroyed the Western Turks and incorporated the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu under the jurisdiction of the Anxi Protectorate. Benefiting from their geographic position and commercial expertise, the Sogdians became vital intermediaries along the Silk Road, establishing communities in Chang’an, Luoyang, and other Chinese cities, and gradually attaining roles within the Tang military and administrative systems.

North of Shiguo (modern Tashkent), one of the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu, lay the region of Semirechye (modern southeastern Kazakhstan and eastern Kyrgyzstan). The “Seven Rivers” referred to the seven major rivers and their numerous tributaries flowing into Lake Balkhash. In the Sui dynasty, this region was under the authority of the Western Turks. In AD 679, during the first year of the Tiaolu reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Tang general Wang Fangyi established the city of Suyab there. In AD 751, during the Tianbao reign of Emperor Xuanzong, the Tang army was defeated in the Battle of Talas, and Tang influence gradually receded from Semirechye. The area subsequently fell under the control of the Turgesh and the Karluk khaganates.

Historically, Semirechye formed an important section of the northern route of the Silk Road, by which merchants could travel to the Levant and even as far as Constantinople. In the mid-ninth century AD, the Karakhanid dynasty expanded into the region, bringing with it gradual Islamisation. From that point, round coins with square holes appear to have ceased circulating.

物件編號: A3529

參考文獻編號: 郎、林#6-84

年代: 公元 659-1100 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 24.5 x 24.5 x 2.8 mm

重量: 5.85 g

來源: 史蒂芬稀有錢幣專輯 2025

這是一枚多於七河地區零星出土之藕芯錢，鑄主不明。

錢體正反面一致。中央有圓形穿孔，四方則有橢圓形穿孔，形似藕根縱斷面，故稱「藕芯錢」，亦有猜度其功能，稱其為砝碼錢者。有人認為藕芯錢是對開元通寶的粗糙仿製：圓形穿孔的開元通寶曾於此地區出土，又偶見地章有穿孔者，一些藕芯錢正似地章挖除，僅餘錢文的開元通寶，再度抽象提煉所呈現的設計。然而出土的藕芯錢型態多樣，除錢穿周圍四穿外，多至十穿環繞中央錢穿排列者亦有。也有不穿孔僅挖除橢圓或圓形凹槽者，也有錢穿周圍圓形改為陽刻者。也有外輪不修圓呈花瓣狀者。故亦有論者認為該類物件是對紡織機部件紡錠的模仿，性質類似中原地區戰國時期的刀幣、布幣。

粟特城邦主要位於河中地區(今烏茲別克西南部)，於唐代時人稱為「昭武九姓」或「九姓胡」，其國人於漢境行走時常以國名為姓，著名者如安祿山，便以｢安國｣為姓。雖名「九姓」，但並非僅有九個政權，也大概並非單一民族組成。粟特人源流可能可以上溯至大月氏被匈奴擊滅後的殘部，於當地逐漸與突厥等民族相融。唐太宗貞觀四年(公元630年)，唐軍將領李靖、李勣攻滅東突厥汗國，唐廷對西域影響力漸增。貞觀年間諸城邦紛紛開始入貢。唐高宗顯慶四年(公元659年)，唐滅西突厥，羈縻昭武九姓，統歸安西大都護府管理。粟特人藉地利與商貿之便，往來於絲綢之路沿線，並於長安、洛陽等地建立社群，並逐漸於唐帝國的軍、政系統中取得一定地位。

以「昭武九姓」中的石國(今塔什干)為北界，北部便是七河地區(今哈薩克東南部與吉爾吉斯東部)。七河為流向巴爾喀什湖的七條主要河流與無數支流的統稱。隋代此地原為西突厥統屬。唐高宗調露元年(公元679年)，唐將王方翼在此地區設碎葉城。唐玄宗天寶十年(公元751年)，唐軍於怛羅斯戰役中戰敗，勢力逐漸退出七河地區。本地先後由突騎施汗國、葛邏祿汗國所領。於歷史上，七河地區為絲路北線的重要路段，商民可途經此地區，前往黎凡特等地，甚或前往君士坦丁堡(今伊斯坦堡)。公元九世紀中，喀喇汗國擴張至該地區，並逐漸伊斯蘭化。至此有孔圓錢大約難再通行。