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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Loong Siew, post: 2759349, member: 75799&quot;]Later Zhou Dynasty (951-960)</p><p><br /></p><p>Zhou Yuan Tong Bao</p><p><br /></p><p>Unlike other Chinese cash coins, these ones have a very unique story behind them. Not only were they circulated for commerce, there were perhaps the first and only coin in China to be used as amulets and charms. This was because during the reign of the Emperor Shizong, he ordered the melting of Buddhist statues and artifacts left behind from the previous largely Buddhist Tang, Sui Dynasties for their bronze due to severe shortage of the material. When rebuked, the Emperor wisely commented that the universal Buddha should not have been limited to the statues and temples nor would have minded if the melting of religious artifacts if it helped the nation. As a result, many people hoarded these coins as they believed the spiritual essence and energy from the holy objects were retained before they were recast into these coins. This tradition lasted for generations even after the fall of the dynasty and the 周元通寶inscription became a common motif for later charms and amulets as well.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]633844[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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