Chinese Silk Road Currency

Author: Zhang Zhongshan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-10-01
Features: As one of the most comprehensive and systematic works in China reflecting the currencies of the Silk Road, this book has many distinctive features. First, it is rich in content and covers a broad scope. The Silk Road spanned 2,000 years and 40,000 kilometers, marking a period of smooth internal and external affairs in Chinese history, as well as a time of flourishing economic and cultural exchange between China and the outside world. The chapters in the upper part of the book vividly reflect the characteristics of this era. Second, it introduces the essence of Silk Road currencies, showcasing the civilizations of the East and West. Currency is a comprehensive reflection of a country's politics, military, economy, culture, and art. The Greek monetary system and the Chinese monetary system represent the currency cultures of the East and West, and the entire process of their exchange and integration took place along the Silk Road. The narration and introduction in this book highlight this feature. Third, it is rich in collection and features exquisite illustrations. The Silk Road was home to a wide variety of Chinese and foreign coins, dazzling in their diversity. The materials included gold, silver, copper, and iron; the shapes were square, round, long, and short; the calligraphy ranged from regular script, cursive script, clerical script, and seal script; and the inscriptions included Chinese, Kharosthi, Greek, Brahmi, and Latin. This book collects over 200 representative Chinese and foreign coins, with high-quality color reproductions, allowing readers to fully appreciate the charm of these historical currencies.