An Ex-Gate Tax Silver
in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276 AD)

Stephen Tai
Feb.10, 1998

The shown silver, sized by 128x48x16mm, weighted 977g, i.e. 25 taels, inscribed with two pairs of stamps, in incuse scripts, read as Bei Ju Shiao Er Lang, Chu Men Shuei, the former means: 'Cast by Silversmith Shiao Er Lang, at Bei Ju Chuei Chao (* Northern Red Canary Bridge, the name of place); the latter: Ex-Gate Tax'.

Ex-gate tax was kind of in-land custom tax manipulated in Southern Song Dynasty, such tax was inherited and transformed from the Kuo Men Shuei (Boarder Gate Tax) in Northern Song Dynasty (960-1126 AD). In the case of Northern Song, any goods with value higher than certain amount would have to subject to the tax levy, when transpassing boarder gates; In the case of Southern Song, "boarder gate" had been transformed into "the gates surrounding the capital - Ling An City (today's Hangchow)".
The ex-gate tax was levied in cash coins, when up to certain volume, the gate officials would exchange those cash coins into silver, with respect to store or submit them.
The shown silver indicates that it was cast by a silversmith named Shio Er Lang who might be assigned by the gate officials. The business place of the silversmith was in Bei Ju, also an initial for Bei Ju Chuei Chao (Northern Red Canary Bridge), a renown commercial areas in Ling An City of Southern Song Dynasty.
Almost all the ex-gate silver as excavated were in 25 taels.

A Legendary Currency in Late Ching Dynasty - A Study on Yunnan Pai-Fang-Ding

An Ex-Gate Tax Silver in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276 AD)

An Ex-Gate Tax Silver
in Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1276 AD)