Wu Zhu cash coins

E457185

Wu Zhu cash coins were small round bronze coins with square holes that served as the standard form of money in China for centuries, including during the Sui dynasty.

Try in SPARQL Jump to: Surface forms Statements Referenced by

Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Wuzhu coin 1

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ancient Chinese coin
cash coin
category Chinese numismatics
circulatedIn Han Empire NERFINISHED
Sui Empire NERFINISHED
various Chinese kingdoms
collectedAs numismatic collectibles
countryOfOrigin China
foundIn archaeological sites in China
burial hoards
hasChineseName 五銖錢 NERFINISHED
hasCurrencySystemRole standard cash coin type
hasFeature file marks from casting sprue removal
outer rim on obverse and reverse on many issues
square inner rim around hole on many issues
hasPart square central hole
hasVariant lightweight Wu Zhu issues in late Han period
local imitative issues
influenced later Chinese cash coin designs
inscription Wu Zhu (五銖) NERFINISHED
introducedBy Emperor Wu of Han NERFINISHED
introducedInPeriod Western Han dynasty NERFINISHED
material bronze
metallicComposition copper alloy
nominalWeight 5 zhu
regulation subject to periodic weight and quality reforms
replaced Ban Liang coins NERFINISHED
replacedBy Kaiyuan Tongbao coins NERFINISHED
scriptOnObverse clerical script on early issues
varied calligraphic styles on later issues
shape round
startTime 118 BCE
timeInUse over seven centuries
typeOf round coin with square hole (方孔圓錢)
typicalManufacturingMethod casting
unitOfWeight zhu
usedAs standard form of money in China
usedBy common people for market trade
state authorities for tax payments
usedFor everyday transactions
usedInPeriod Eastern Han dynasty NERFINISHED
Jin dynasty (266–420) NERFINISHED
Southern and Northern dynasties NERFINISHED
Sui dynasty NERFINISHED
Three Kingdoms period NERFINISHED
Western Han dynasty NERFINISHED
early Tang dynasty
writingSystemUsed Chinese characters

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Sui dynasty currency Wu Zhu cash coins
Former Han currency Wu Zhu cash coins
this entity surface form: Wuzhu coin