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Home China, Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang, Modern Replica Qi Dao Wu Bai, AE 500 Cash, 7-10 AD

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China, Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang, Modern Replica Qi Dao Wu Bai, AE 500 Cash, 7-10 AD

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Title	China, Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang, Modern Replica Qi Dao Wu Bai, AE 500 Cash, 7-10 AD
Obverse	Qi Dao Wu Bai
Reverse	Blank
Type/denomination	500 wu shu coin
Origin	China
Period	7-10 AD
Description	This 500 wu shu cash coin, dated c. 7-10AD, is a modern, post Qing Dynasty replica of knife money originating from China. The obverse of the replica bears the Chinese characters Qui Dao Wu Bai meaning “Qi knife five hundred” and the reverse is blank. The knife coin which this replica represents would have been struck during the short-lived Xin Dynasty in China. This period, also known as the brief interregnum period between the Western Han (c. 206 BC-25 AD) and Eastern Han (c. 25-220 AD) Dynasties, was ruled by a man named Wang Mang, a Han Dynasty official and nephew to the Grand Empress Dowager Wang Zhengjun. Wang Mang used his position and governmental prestige as regent to seize the throne from the infant Emperor Ruzi of Han, also known as Liu Ying, and give himself the office of Acting Emperor. His self-proclaimed reign, known as the Xin Dynasty, lasted approximately from 9-23 AD. Wang Mang is commonly referred to in Chinese history as the Shehuangdi (the “Usurper Emperor”), but some scholars portray him as a visionary for social reform. He decreed a number of monetary reforms in which he attempted to close the gap between peasants and the wealthy minority, following a philosophy similar to communism. Additionally, among some of his other reforms, Wang Mang also introduced a series of complex currency reforms which revolved around the introduction of new token coins, the first of which was the introduction of gold tokens for large transactions which he instituted during his regency in 7 AD. However the Chinese people were unfamiliar with the usage of token coinage and, as a result, the reform failed to have a positive effect on the economy. Wu Shu coinage, which was one of the legal non-token coinages at the time, was still used for small transactions during this period. However during Wang Mang’s second reform, he replaced the Wu Shu coin with a new type of currency. When the Chinese people resisted this second reform by continuing to use Wu Shu coins, the Emperor began to arrest anyone found using the Wu Shu knife money. He continued to introduce other currency and social reforms which led to increasing unrest in China. Wang Magn’s efforts to institute large-scale reforms eventually precipitated into open revolt and led to his downfall. In 23 AD his capital, Chang’an, was besieged by peasant rebels. It was during this siege that the self-styled Xin Dynasty Emperor met his end and the Han Dynasty was restored by the descendants of the former imperial clan, making way for the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Publisher	Hillsdale College
Donor	Alwin C. Carus
Collection	World
Accession number	20051271
Catalog Number	S.116

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Home China, Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang, Modern Replica Qi Dao Wu Bai, AE 500 Cash, 7-10 AD

China, Xin Dynasty, Wang Mang, Modern Replica Qi Dao Wu Bai, AE 500 Cash, 7-10 AD

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