A 50-Tael Shansi Yuanbao

Stephen Tai Feb.13, 1998

The shown sycee silver, sized 116(L) x 66(W) x 6.9(H) mm, weighted 1862g, i.e. 50 taels, made in shoe shape, is kind of silver so called Yuanbao by Chinese people. Its inscriptions read as: Right - Tong Ze Liou Nien [Jing Bao]* [Bat]** Yuei. Left - Chi Hsieng Wu Pei Fang A round stamp - [Chang]***, which mean 'The ? month, the 6th year of Tong Ze period (1867, 1862-1874)', and 'Chi County (in Shensi Province), cast by silversmith Wu Pei Fang'.

**Bat: A symbol of bat as shown on the silver. Bat, a word in Chinese, pronounced as Fu, the same as 'Luck'. Therefore the images or symbols of bats have often been used in many occasion by Chinese, with a view to attract luck.

***Chang is just a code word used by assayers, representing for the silver had passed the examination and up to certain purity standard. In addition to this, there were other words, such as Yuan, Tien, ..., severally standing for different purity standards.

• Shensi Banks had been one of the most famous economic groups to Chinese traditional society in late Ching Dynasty, since the years of Tao Kuang (1821-1850). This group of merchants had endeavored in remittance business at the first stage and successfully built up business networks throughout the recent China. After a decade's expansions their business had already covered almost all the areas that a modern bank might step in, and dominated those business until foreign countries and their capitals invaded into China.
• During the prime time of Shansi Bank's business Shansi bankers had not only won their business nationwide from commercial fields and civilians. Most important, the governments, including central and local, assigned them to remit official silver payments instead of submitting cash silver by officials personally which they had been requested by the preceding rulings to do so. However, such remittance service meant to them too much convenience, no one would ever want to obey the laws anymore, moreover, the governments also trusted most of their official capitals and private savings into Shansi Bank. Hence, Shansi Banks and their bankers had become the most powerful and richest group in China.
• The place of the shown silver, Chi County, was one out of three places where most Shansi Banks being originated from, the other two are: Tai Ku County and Ping Yao County.
• 50 taels of sycee silvers are very scarce now, as for those still may be found in today, Shansi Yuanbaos contribute a great majority. Most of them, as we know, were cast for Shansi banks, for their remittance or banking business, as payment on demands. It may be a mirror showing us that how vigorous the bankers' business were, and what significant roles did they play in then China.