page_title: Later Zhou
section_title: Currency
hierarchical_section_title: Later Zhou / Currency
caption_attribution_description: English: FIVE DYNASTIES / TEN KINGDOMS 907 - 960 AD PHOTO H# REIGN TITLE DESCRIPTION PRICE &#160; 15.12 &#160; Zhou Yuan tong bao &#160; Later Zhou Dynasty, Emp. Shi Zong, 955-60. &#160;&#160;&#160; (S411) VF-EF &#160;&#160;$ 20.00 &#160; 15.17 &#160; Zhou Yuan tong bao: — s &#160; Later Zhou Dynasty, Emp. Shi Zong, 955-60. Note: bar below may be thick in middle, resembling downward crescent. &#160;&#160;&#160; S422 VF &#160;&#160;$ 17.50 &#160; 15.42 &#160; Qian De yuan bao &#160; Former shu Kingdom: Wang Yan 919-25 &#160;&#160;&#160; S433 SAMPLES shown: Vg $8.50; AF-F &#160;&#160;$ 12.50 &#160; 15.46 &#160; Xian Kang yuan bao &#160; Former shu Kingdom: Wang Yan 919-25 &#160;&#160;&#160; S434 Vg+ &#160;&#160;$ 25.00 &#160; 15.80 &#160; Tang Guo tong bao &#160; Southern Tang Kingdom: Emp. Yuan Zu, 943-61, AD 959 onward; Seal script. &#160;&#160;&#160; S441 shown: Hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 10.00 &#160; 15.90 &#160; Tang Guo tong bao &#160; Southern Tang Kingdom: Emp. Yuan Zu, 943-61; Li script, Variety: Small size 20-20.5mm. &#160;&#160;&#160; S444 SAMPLES shown. Hoard EF-UC &#160;&#160;$ 26.50 &#160; 15.99 &#160; Kai Yuan tong bao &#160; Southern Tang Kingdom: Emp. Li Yu, 961-78; Seal script. &#160;&#160;&#160; S446 SAMPLES shown. VF &#160;&#160;$ 6.00 &#160; 15.162 &#160; Yong An Yi Bai &#160; Liu Dynasty of You Zhou (Hebei), IRON 100 Cash, 32.3 mm, 14.757 gm. &#160;&#160;&#160; FD835, S-nl, HG396/4 Crude &#160;&#160;$ 1,200.00.
context_page_description: The Later Zhou was the last in a succession of five dynasties that controlled most of northern China during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, which lasted from 907 to 960 and bridged the gap between the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty.
context_section_description: The only series of cash coins attributed to the Later Zhou period are the Zhouyuan Tongbao (simplified Chinese: 周元通宝; traditional Chinese: 周元通寶; pinyin: zhōuyuán tōng bǎo) coins which were issued by Emperor Shizong from the year 955 (Xiande 2). Emperor Shizong is sometimes said to have cast cash coins with the inscription Guangshun Yuanbao (simplified Chinese: 广顺元宝; traditional Chinese: 廣順元寶; pinyin: guǎng shùn yuánbǎo) during his Guangshun period title (951–953), however no authentic cash coins with this inscription are known to exist.
  The pattern of the Zhouyuan Tongbao is based on that of the Kaiyuan Tongbao cash coins. They were cast from melted-down bronze statues from 3,336 Buddhist temples and mandated that the citizens of Later Zhou should turn in to the government all of their bronze utensils with the notable exception of bronze mirrors, Shizong also ordered a fleet of junks to go to Korea to trade Chinese silk for copper which would be used to manufacture cash coins. When reproached for this, the Emperor uttered a cryptic remark to the effect that the Buddha would not mind this sacrifice. It is said that the Emperor himself supervised the casting at the many large furnaces at the back of the palace. The coins are assigned amuletic properties and "magical powers" because they were made from Buddhist statues, and are said to particularly effective in midwifery – hence the many later-made imitations which are considered to be a form of Chinese charms and amulets. Among these assigned powers it is said that Zhouyuan Tongbao cash coins could cure malaria and help women going through a difficult labour. The Chinese numismatic charms based on the Zhouyuan Tongbao often depict a Chinese dragon and fenghuang as a pair on their reverse symbolising either a harmonious marriage or the Emperor and Empress, other images on Zhouyuan Tongbao charms and amulets include depictions of Gautama Buddha, the animals of the Chinese zodiac, and other auspicious objects.
caption: A Zhouyuan Tongbao (周元通寶) cash coin.
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