Charm Item Number: Edz4180 from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Knife money shaped charm with a Chinese coin-like circle at the top, characters on the blade, and inner and outer rims on both sides. On one side, there are four seal script characters on the round portion, and two seal script characters on the blade. On the reverse, there are four seal script characters on the round portion, and three seal script characters on the blade.
History Of Use
Design similar to a coin, but not for circulation; not from the period it purports to be from (Larson, David). The tradition of using commemorative coins for the beam installation ceremony of a construction project was often practiced for palaces and temples. The design of this coin was copied after an archaistic knife coin issued duringWang Mang's first currency reform in A.D. 7, which, in turn, was aimed at reintroducing the archaic monetary system of the Zhou Dynasty (11th to 3rd century B.C.), thought to be the "Golden Age" according to Confucian values. Therefore, the shape resembles the currency form that was attributed to be contemporary with the time of Confucius (during his historical period). These were probably used at the beam-installation ceremony for the construction of the watch tower above the south gate of Fuzhou walled city. A public event presumably took place in July, 1867 (Li, Min).
Iconographic Meaning
The coin's shape symbolizes Confucian values (Li, Min).
Item History
- Made in China during 1867
- Collected between 1893 and 1911
- Owned by Colin Campbell Brown
- Owned by Hugh Campbell Brown before February 1, 1961
- Received from Hugh Campbell Brown (Donor) on February 1, 1961
What
- Name
- Charm
- Identification Number
- Edz4180
- Type of Item
- charm
- Material
- copper alloy metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- cast and filed
- Overall
- height 0.3 cm, width 7.0 cm, depth 2.6 cm, weight 0.585 oz
Who
- Culture
- Chinese
- Previous Owner
- Colin Campbell Brown and Hugh Campbell Brown
- Received from
- Hugh Campbell Brown (Donor)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- China
When
- Creation Date
- during 1867
- Collection Date
- between 1893 and 1911
- Ownership Date
- before February 1, 1961
- Acquisition Date
- on February 1, 1961
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- good
- Accession Number
- 0042/0071 c