Qing Dynasty Local Private Prints Catalogue - Volume Twenty of the A Type

Author: Shi Changyou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Each period of prosperity for private currency issuance coincided with post-war economic hardship and national fiscal crises. For example, the first prosperous period occurred after the defeat in the Opium War, when the Treaty of Nanking was signed, ceding Hong Kong Island and imposing a indemnity of 21 million taels of silver. The second prosperous period followed the defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War, with the Treaty of Shimonoseki leading to territorial cession and a indemnity of 200 million taels. The third prosperous period emerged during the Xinhai Revolution, domestic warlord conflicts, and a time of chaos with no central leadership. The defeats in wars resulted in the plunder of vast amounts of gold and silver, leaving the nation reliant on issuing paper money to sustain itself. However, the excessive issuance of national paper money eroded its credibility, allowing local private currency to flourish. This book collects over 800 types of private currency issued from the first year of the Qianlong era (1736) to the third year of the Xuantong era (1911), spanning 175 years across seven dynasties. It is arguably the most comprehensive book on Qing private currency in China, covering more than 20 provinces (cities) and over 200 counties (towns, villages), providing valuable physical materials for scholars, numismatists, and collectors studying the history of Qing dynasty currency and coinage.