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[[File:打馬所用的打馬錢.jpg|thumb|打馬所用的打馬錢|Illustrations of Chinese horse coins depicting "Great Yellow" and "Green Ear".]]
[[File:打馬所用的打馬錢.jpg|thumb|Illustrations of Chinese horse coins depicting "Great Yellow" and "Green Ear"]]
[[File:Section 20.9 Two character obverse, horse reverse - John Ferguson.jpg|thumb|right|A horse coin with the inscription "Ch'u Huang" (The Great Yellow Horse).]]
[[File:Section 20.9 Two character obverse, horse reverse - John Ferguson.jpg|thumb|right|A horse coin with the inscription "Ch'u Huang" (The Great Yellow Horse)]]


'''Horse coins''' ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 馬錢; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 马钱; [[Pinyin]]: ''mǎ qián'') are a type of [[Yansheng Coin|Chinese numismatic charm]] that originated in the [[Song dynasty]] presumably as gambling tokens although many literary figures wrote about these coins their usage has always been failed to be mentioned by them, most [[horse]] coins tend to be round coins 3 centimeters in diameter with a circular or square hole in the middle of the coin. The horses featured on horse coins are depicted in various positions such as lying on the ground sleep, turning their head while neighing, or galloping forward with their tails rising high. it is currently unknown how horse coins were actually used though it is speculated that Chinese horse coins were actually used as game board pieces or gambling counters. Horse coins are most often manufactured from copper or bronze, but in a few documented cases they may also be made from animal horns or ivory. The horse coins produced during the Song dynasty are considered to be those of the best quality and craftsmanship and tend be made from better metal than the horse coins produced after.<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins">{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/horse.html|title= Horse Coins - 馬錢.|date=16 November 2016|accessdate=27 March 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref><ref>Sportstune (Chinese charms) [http://sportstune.com/chinese/charms/20.html Chinese charms, section 20]. 20. HORSE CHARMS. Retrieved: 02 May 2018.</ref> Some horse coins would feature the name of the famous horses they depicted. It is estimated that there are over three hundred variants of the horse coin.<ref>台灣Wiki (TaiwanWiki) > 百科分類 > 錢幣 > 收藏 > 古玩 > 古幣 > 馬錢。[http://www.twwiki.com/wiki/%E9%A6%AC%E9%8C%A2 馬錢]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref><ref>[http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_2349326_1.html 鐵血社區]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref><ref>[http://www.gucn.com/Service_CurioStall_Show.asp?Id=222335 中國古玩網]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref> Some horse coins contained only an image of a horse while others also included an image of the rider and others had inscriptions which identify the horse or rider. During the beginning of the year of the horse in 2002 Chinese researchers Jian Ning and Wang Liyan of the National Museum of Chinese History wrote articles on horse coins the "China Cultural Relics Newspaper", the researchers noted that they found it a pity that the holes in the coins covered the saddles of the horses as this could've revealed more about ancient horse culture. Horse coins from the Song dynasty are the horse coins that are produced at the highest quality while horse coins from subsequent dynasties tend to be inferior compared to them.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.china.org.cn/english/29359.htm|title= Legacy of Horse-drawn Money.|date=25 March 2002|accessdate=2 May 2018|work= China Daily (Travel in China).|language=en}}</ref>
'''Horse coins''' ([[Traditional Chinese]]: 馬錢; [[Simplified Chinese]]: 马钱; [[Pinyin]]: ''mǎ qián''), alternatively ''dama qian'' (打馬錢),<ref name="TransAsiart-Charm-Gambling-Tokens">{{cite web|url= http://www.transasiart.com/Numismatique/numismatique_chine/amulettes/jetons%20amulettes/ncnamupj.htm|title= Pièces de jeu amulettisées - Charm gambling tokens.|date=14 September 2015|access-date=27 April 2020|author= [[François Thierry (numismatist)|François Thierry de Crussol]] (蒂埃里)|publisher= TransAsiart|language=fr}}</ref> are a type of [[Yansheng Coin|Chinese numismatic charm]] that originated in the [[Song dynasty]] (or as early as the [[Tang dynasty]])<ref name="TransAsiart-Charm-Gambling-Tokens"/> and presumed to have been used as gambling tokens. Although many literary figures wrote about these coins their usage has always been failed to be mentioned by them. Most [[horse]] coins tend to be round coins, {{Convert|3|cm}} in diameter with a circular or square hole in the middle of the coin. The horses featured on horse coins are depicted in various positions such as lying asleep on the ground, turning their head while neighing, or galloping forward with their tails rising high. it is currently unknown how horse coins were actually used though it is speculated that Chinese horse coins were actually used as game board pieces or gambling counters. Horse coins are most often manufactured from copper or bronze, but in a few documented cases they may also be made from animal horns or ivory. The horse coins produced during the Song dynasty are considered to be those of the best quality and craftsmanship and tend be made from better metal than the horse coins produced after.<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins">{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/horse.html|title= Ancient Chinese Horse Coins - 馬錢.|date=16 November 2016|access-date=27 March 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref><ref>Sportstune (Chinese charms) [http://sportstune.com/chinese/charms/20.html Chinese charms, section 20]. 20. HORSE CHARMS. Retrieved: 02 May 2018.</ref> Some horse coins would feature the name of the famous horses they depicted. It is estimated that there are over three hundred variants of the horse coin.<ref>台灣Wiki (TaiwanWiki) > 百科分類 > 錢幣 > 收藏 > 古玩 > 古幣 > 馬錢。[http://www.twwiki.com/wiki/%E9%A6%AC%E9%8C%A2 馬錢]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref><ref>[http://bbs.tiexue.net/post_2349326_1.html 鐵血社區]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref><ref>[http://www.gucn.com/Service_CurioStall_Show.asp?Id=222335 中國古玩網]. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Traditional Chinese characters]])</ref> Some horse coins contained only an image of a horse while others also included an image of the rider and others had inscriptions which identify the horse or rider. During the beginning of the year of the horse in 2002 Chinese researchers Jian Ning and Wang Liyan of the National Museum of Chinese History wrote articles on horse coins in the ''China Cultural Relics Newspaper'', noting that they found it a pity that the holes in the coins covered the saddles of the horses as this could have revealed more about ancient horse culture. Horse coins from the Song dynasty are the horse coins that are produced at the highest quality while horse coins from subsequent dynasties tend to be inferior compared to them.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.china.org.cn/english/29359.htm|title= Legacy of Horse-drawn Money.|date=25 March 2002|access-date=2 May 2018|work= China Daily (Travel in China).|language=en}}</ref>


Horse coins often depicted famous horses from [[History of China|Chinese history]] or [[Horse in Chinese mythology|famous horses from Chinese mythology]], while commemorative horse coins would also feature riders, such as the horse coin that features “General [[Yue Yi]] of the State of Yan” commemorating the event that a [[Yan (state)|Yan]] general attempted to conquer the city of [[Jimo District|Jimo]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/blog/2011/05/18/battle-of-jimo-horse-coin/|title= “Battle of Jimo” Horse Coin.|date=18 May 2011|accessdate=27 March 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref> Another horse coin depicts the Chinese mythological horse ''long ju'' (龍駒), this horse was first mentioned in the "[[Rites of Zhou]]".<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins"/> The Rites of Zhou describes a "dragon colt" as a horse which is "more than 8 chi (尺) tall" when its measured from its front hoof to the shoulder. One chi, during the [[Zhou dynasty]] period, was about 16.5 centimeters in the [[metric system]].<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins"/>
Horse coins often depicted famous horses from [[History of China|Chinese history]] or [[Horse in Chinese mythology|famous horses from Chinese mythology]], while commemorative horse coins would also feature riders, such as the horse coin that features “General [[Yue Yi]] of the State of Yan” commemorating the event that a [[Yan (state)|Yan]] general attempted to conquer the city of [[Jimo District|Jimo]].<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/blog/2011/05/18/battle-of-jimo-horse-coin/|title= "Battle of Jimo" Horse Coin.|date=18 May 2011|access-date=27 March 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref> Another horse coin depicts the Chinese mythological horse ''long ju'' (龍駒), this horse was first mentioned in the "[[Rites of Zhou]]".<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins"/> The Rites of Zhou describes a "dragon colt" as a horse which is "more than 8 chi (尺) tall" when its measured from its front hoof to the shoulder. One chi, during the [[Zhou dynasty]] period, was about 16.5 centimeters in the [[metric system]].<ref name="PrimaltrekHorseCoins"/>


It is rare for horse coins to also feature images of horses in armour but a few rare examples from the Song dynasty exist (and it is even rarer for these coins to also feature a [[saddle]]) as well as some from the [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] [[Yuan dynasty]] that feature horses wearing typical Mongolian horse armour. As horse coins from the Yuan dynasty are extremely rare there hasn't been much research undertaken in determining their usage and origins.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/blog/2015/02/06/horse-in-armour-horse-coins/|title= Horse in Armour Horse Coins.|date=6 February 2015|accessdate=2 May 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref>
It is rare for horse coins to also feature images of horses in armour but a few rare examples from the Song dynasty exist (and it is even rarer for these coins to also feature a [[saddle]]) as well as some from the [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] [[Yuan dynasty]] that feature horses wearing typical Mongolian horse armour. As horse coins from the Yuan dynasty are extremely rare there has not been much research undertaken in determining their usage and origins.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/blog/2015/02/06/horse-in-armour-horse-coins/|title= Horse in Armour Horse Coins.|date=6 February 2015|access-date=2 May 2018|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref>

== Names ==

Horse coins are referred to in [[Mandarin Chinese]] as either ''maqian'' (馬錢) or ''dama qian'' (打馬錢).<ref name="TransAsiart-Charm-Gambling-Tokens"/>

When horse coins are used as game pieces they are referred to as ''dama geqian'' ({{zh |first=t | t= 打馬格錢 | s= 打马格钱 | hp= dǎ mǎ gé qián | links=no}}) and when they are used as gambling pieces they are referred to as ''dama boxi'' ({{zh |first=t | t= 打馬博戲 | s= 打马博戏 | hp= dǎ mǎ bó xì | links=no}}).<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins">{{cite web|url= http://primaltrek.com/blog/2020/12/15/sweating-blood-horse-coin/|title= "Sweating Blood Horse" Coin.|date=15 December 2020|access-date=24 January 2020|work= Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture)|language=en}}</ref>

== Categorisation ==

While there are many known varieties of horse coins, they can generally be categorised into three basic types based on their design.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

* The first type depicts a picture of the horse on one side of the horse coin and the inscription identifying the horse written down on the other side of the coin.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

* The second type has both the image of the horse as well as the inscription depicted on the same side of the coin with the reverse side being left blank.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

* The third type, which is the most rarest of types, has the identical picture of the horse as well as the inscription on both sides of the coin ({{zh |first=t | t= 合背錢 | s= 合背钱 | hp= hé bèi qián | links=no}}).<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

== Horse coins carved into cash coins ==

On the [[Java (island)|island of Java]] it was sometimes done to take an existing circulating cash coin, for example a ''[[Kan'ei Tsūhō]]'' (寛永通寳) cash coin, and engrave the design of a horse coin into it.<ref name="UCSB-Dr-Luke-Roberts-Charms">{{cite web|url= http://roberts.faculty.history.ucsb.edu/coins/Charms.html|title= Charms.|date=24 October 2003|access-date=20 April 2020|work= Dr. Luke Roberts at the [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Department of History - University of California at Santa Barbara]] |language=en}}</ref> The [[Javanese people|Javanese]] also did this with other designs.<ref name="UCSB-Dr-Luke-Roberts-Charms"/>

== Ferghana horse coins ==

'''Ferghana horse coins''', also known as ''Sweating blood horse coins'' ({{zh |first=t | t= 汗血寶馬錢 | s= 汗血宝马钱 | hp= hàn xiě bǎo mǎ qián | links=no}}) or ''Akhal-Teke horse coins'', are a type of horse coin that feature [[Ferghana horse]]s.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> References to Ferghana horses have been traced back as far as the reign of [[Emperor Wu of Han|Emperor Wu]] of the [[Han dynasty]].<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> Ferghana horse coins don't include references to specific Ferghana horse, rather they display imagery and inscriptions used to represent the entire breed.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> Ferghana horse coins date back to the Song dynasty.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

These horse coins display the image of a Ferghana horse with two [[Traditional Chinese characters]] ''hàn xiě'' (汗血) which translates into English as "sweats blood".<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>

=== Rare specimens of Ferghana horse coins ===

Only a single specimen of a Ferghana horse coin with an identical obverse and reverse design (合背錢) dating to the Song dynasty is known to exist, it is 31&nbsp;mm (1.2 inches) in diameter.<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> This coin was previously known to be in the collection of Mr. [[Wei Yutian]] ({{zh |first=t | t= 衛玉田 | s= 卫玉田 | hp= wèi yù tián | links=no}}, 1854–1937) and was sold at the Xiling Yinshe Auction Co., Ltd. (西泠印社拍卖有限公司) 2017 Spring Auction for [[United States dollar|US$]]1,580 (or about 10,350 [[Renminbi|RMB]]).<ref>Shouxi - [http://data.shouxi.com/item.php?id=329135 Lot:5540 北宋汗血宝马马钱]. 拍品分类： 古钱 - 拍品估价： RMB 无底价 - 拍品专场： 西泠拍卖2017年春拍-历代钱币 - 开拍日期： 2017-07-17 13:00:00 - 结标日期： 2017-07-17 17:00:00 - 拍品品相： 无 - 成交价格： RMB 10350 - 拍卖公司： 杭州西泠 - 拍卖状态： 成交 (in [[Mandarin Chinese]] using [[Simplified Chinese characters]]).</ref><ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/>


== List of horse coins ==
== List of horse coins ==
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{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 100%"
!colspan=5| List of variants of horse coins
!colspan=6| List of variants of horse coins
|-
|-
! Transliteration !! [[Traditional Chinese]] !! [[Simplified Chinese]] !! Literal [[English language|English]] translation !! Image
! Transliteration !! [[Traditional Chinese]] !! [[Simplified Chinese]] !! Literal [[English language|English]] translation !! Obverse image || Reverse image
|-
|-
| Qin jiang san qi || 秦將散騎 || 秦将散骑 || "Followers of General [[Bai Qi]]" ||
| Qin jiang san qi || 秦將散騎 || 秦将散骑 || "Followers of General [[Bai Qi]]" || ||
|-
|-
| Yan jiang yue yi || 燕將樂毅 || 燕将乐毅 || "General [[Yue Yi]] of the [[State of Yan]]"{{Efn|The name is sometimes alternatively translated as "General Le Yi of the State of Yan".}} ||
| Yan jiang yue yi || 燕將樂毅 || 燕将乐毅 || "General [[Yue Yi]] of the [[State of Yan]]"{{Efn|The name is sometimes alternatively translated as "General Le Yi of the State of Yan".}} || ||
|-
|-
| Piao niao || 驃嫋 || 骠袅 || "Fast and slender" ||
| Piao niao || 驃嫋 || 骠袅 || "Fast and slender" || ||
|-
|-
| Wu zhui || 烏騅 || 乌骓 || "Black spotted horse" ||
| Wu zhui || 烏騅 || 乌骓 || "Black spotted horse" || ||
|-
|-
| Tang jiang qian li || 唐將千里 || 唐将千里 || "Tang General 1,000 ''[[Li (unit)|li]]''" ||
| Tang jiang qian li || 唐將千里 || 唐将千里 || "Tang General 1,000 ''[[Li (unit)|li]]''" || ||
|-
|-
| Zhen guan shi ji<br>Jue bo || 貞觀十驥<br>訣波 || 贞观十骥<br>決波 || "Ten thoroughbreds of Zhen Guan"{{Efn|Zhen Guan was the [[Chinese era name|era name]] used by [[Emperor Taizong of Tang|Emperor Taizong]] of the [[Tang dynasty]].}}<br>"Bursting as a wave" || [[File:91619 SMVK EM objekt 1299011 (1).jpg|75px]]<br>[[File:91619 SMVK EM objekt 1299011.jpg|75px]]
| Zhen guan shi ji<br>Jue bo || 貞觀十驥<br>決波 || 贞观十骥<br>决波 || "Ten thoroughbreds of Zhen Guan"{{Efn|Zhen Guan was the [[Chinese era name|era name]] used by [[Emperor Taizong of Tang|Emperor Taizong]] of the [[Tang dynasty]].}}<br>"Bursting as a wave" || [[File:91619 SMVK EM objekt 1299011 (1).jpg|75px]] || [[File:91619 SMVK EM objekt 1299011.jpg|75px]]
|-
|-
| Qian li || 千里 || 千里 || "1,000 ''li''" ||
| Qian li || 千里 || 千里 || "1,000 ''li''" || ||
|-
|-
| Qian li zhi ma || 千里之馬 || 千里之马 || "1,000 ''li'' horse" ||
| Qian li zhi ma || 千里之馬 || 千里之马 || "1,000 ''li'' horse" || ||
|-
|-
| Long ju || 龍駒 || 龙驹 || "Dragon's Colt" ||
| Long ju || 龍駒 || 龙驹 || "Dragon's Colt" || [[File:Horse coins - Scott Semans 126.jpg|75px]] || [[File:Horse coins - Scott Semans 125.jpg|75px]]
|-
|-
| Da-Song Jinqian<br>Song Qi || 大宋金錢<br>宋騎 || 大宋金钱<br>宋骑 || "[[Song dynasty|Great Song (dynasty)]] metal money"<br>"A rider of the Song (dynasty)" || ||
⚫
!colspan=5| [[King Mu of Zhou|King Mu]] of [[Western Zhou]]'s horses<br>("The eight outstanding steeds"){{Efn|[[King Mu of Zhou]] had once rode on a chariot with eight horses that were known as the "eight outstanding steeds". The names of these eight horses can be found on Chinese and other [[East Asia]]n horse coins although there is some disagreement as to which set of eight names which were passed down through history is the correct version. The names of King Mu of Zhou's eight horses described their outstanding characteristics and included "Beyond Earth", "Rush by Night", "Windswept Plumes",  "Finer than Flashing Light", "Faster than Shadow", "Wing Bearer", "Faster than Light", and "Rising Mist".  Other historical Chinese texts list King Mu of Zhou's horses as "Bay Steed", "Smoked Ebony", "Skewbald Chestnut", "Great Yellow", and "Green Ear".}}
|-
|-
| Ying gong zhu han<ref name="TransAsiart-Dama-Qian-Duc-Ying">{{cite web|url= http://www.transasiart.com/Numismatique/numismatique_chine/amulettes/jetons%20amulettes/ncnamupj275.htm|title= Dama qian du duc Ying 英 - Duke Ying Dama qian.|date=14 September 2015|access-date=27 April 2020|author= [[François Thierry (numismatist)|François Thierry de Crussol]] (蒂埃里)|publisher= TransAsiart|language=fr}}</ref> || 英公朱汗 || 英公朱汗 || "Duke of Ying, Red sweat" || ||
⚫
| Qu Huang || 渠黃 || 渠黄 || "Great Yellow" || [[File:Section 20.9 Two character obverse, horse reverse - John Ferguson.jpg|75px]]
|-
|-
| Shanzi<ref name="TransAsiart-Dama-Qian">{{cite web|url= http://www.transasiart.com/Numismatique/numismatique_chine/amulettes/jetons%20amulettes/ncnamupj286.htm|title= Dama qian au type de Shanzi 山子 - Shanzi horse Dama qian.|date=14 September 2015|access-date=27 April 2020|author= [[François Thierry (numismatist)|François Thierry de Crussol]] (蒂埃里)|publisher= TransAsiart|language=fr}}</ref> || 山子 || 山子 || "Child of the mountains" || ||
⚫
| Lü Er || 綠耳 || 绿耳 || "Green ear" ||
|-
|-
| Jue Di || 絕地 || 绝地 || "Beyond Earth" ||
| Han Xie<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> || 汗血 || 汗血 || "Sweats blood" || ||
|-
|-
| Han Xie<br>Han Xie<ref name="Primaltrek-Sweating-Blood-Horse-Coins"/> || 汗血<br>汗血 || 汗血<br>汗血 || "Sweats blood"<br>"Sweats blood" || ||
| Ben Xiao || 奔宵 || 奔宵 || "Rush by Night" ||
|-
|-
⚫
!colspan=6| [[King Mu of Zhou|King Mu]] of [[Western Zhou]]'s horses<br>("The eight outstanding steeds"){{Efn|[[King Mu of Zhou]] had once rode on a chariot with eight horses that were known as the "eight outstanding steeds". The names of these eight horses can be found on Chinese and other [[East Asia]]n horse coins although there is some disagreement as to which set of eight names which were passed down through history is the correct version. The names of King Mu of Zhou's eight horses described their outstanding characteristics and included "Beyond Earth", "Rush by Night", "Windswept Plumes",  "Finer than Flashing Light", "Faster than Shadow", "Wing Bearer", "Faster than Light", and "Rising Mist".  Other historical Chinese texts list King Mu of Zhou's horses as "Bay Steed", "Smoked Ebony", "Skewbald Chestnut", "Great Yellow", and "Green Ear".}}
| Fan Yu || 翻羽 || 翻羽 || "Windswept Plumes" || 
|-
|-
⚫
| Qu Huang || 渠黃 || 渠黄 || "Great Yellow" ||align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan = "2"| [[File:Section 20.9 Two character obverse, horse reverse - John Ferguson.jpg|125px]]
⚫
| || || || "Finer than Flashing Light" ||
|-
|-
| Qu Huang zhi ma || 渠黃之馬 || 渠黄之马 || "The Great Yellow horse" || [[File:Qu Huang, one of the 8 great horses of the Zhou dynasty king Mu Wang - Dr. Luke Roberts 01.png|75px]] || [[File:Qu Huang, one of the 8 great horses of the Zhou Dynasty King Mu Wang - Dr. Luke Roberts 02.png|75px]]
| Chao Ying || 超影 || 超影 || "Faster than Shadow" ||
|-
|-
| Lü Er || 綠耳 || 绿耳 || "Green ear" || [[File:Horse coins - Scott Semans 110.jpg|75px]] || [[File:Horse coins - Scott Semans 111.jpg|75px]]
| Xie Yi || 挾翼 || 挟翼 || "Wing Bearer" ||
|-
|-
| Chao Guang || 超光 || 超光 || "Faster than Light" ||
| Jue Di || 絕地 || 绝地 || "Beyond Earth" || ||
|-
|-
| Teng Wu || 騰霧 || 腾雾 || "Rising Mist" ||
| Ben Xiao || 奔宵 || 奔宵 || "Rush by Night" || ||
|-
|-
| || || || "Bay Steed" ||
| Fan Yu || 翻羽 || 翻羽 || "Windswept Plumes" || ||
|-
|-
| Dao Li || 盜驪 || 盗骊 || "Smoked Ebony" || uncertain
| || || || "Finer than Flashing Light" || ||
|-
|-
| Chi Ji || 赤驥 || 赤骥 || "Skewbald Chestnut" || uncertain
| Chao Ying || 超影 || 超影 || "Faster than Shadow" || ||
|-
⚫
| Xie Yi || 挾翼 || 挟翼 || "Wing Bearer" || ||
|-
⚫
| Chao Guang || 超光 || 超光 || "Faster than Light" || ||
|-
| Teng Wu || 騰霧 || 腾雾 || "Rising Mist" || ||
|-
| || || || "Bay Steed" || ||
|-
| Dao Li || 盜驪 || 盗骊 || "Smoked Ebony" ||align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan = "2"| uncertain
|-
| Chi Ji || 赤驥 || 赤骥 || "Skewbald Chestnut" ||align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" colspan = "2"| uncertain
|}
|}


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== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

== Sources ==

* [[François Thierry (numismatist)|THIERRY, François]], "Les monnaies au cheval, maqian ou damaqian", Bulletin de la Société Française de Numismatique, juin 1991, n°6, pp. 122–126 (in [[French language|French]]).


== Further reading ==
== Further reading ==
* [[Joe Cribb]], "Horse Coins: Pieces for Da Ma, the Chinese Board-Game 'Driving the Horses'", in [[Irving Finkel]] (ed.) ''Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 [[British Museum]] colloquium, with additional contributions'', ([[London]]: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 116-124. {{ISBN|978-0-7141-1153-7}}.
* [[Joe Cribb]], "Horse Coins: Pieces for Da Ma, the Chinese Board-Game 'Driving the Horses'", in [[Irving Finkel]] (ed.) ''Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 [[British Museum]] colloquium, with additional contributions'', ([[London]]: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 116–124. {{ISBN|978-0-7141-1153-7}}.
* Andrew Lo, "An Introduction to Board Games in Late Imperial China", in Irving Finkel (ed.) ''Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions'', (London: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 125-132. {{ISBN|978-0-7141-1153-7}}.
* Andrew Lo, "An Introduction to Board Games in Late Imperial China", in Irving Finkel (ed.) ''Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions'', (London: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 125–132. {{ISBN|978-0-7141-1153-7}}.


== External links ==
== External links ==
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[[Category:Chinese numismatic charms]]
[[Category:Chinese numismatic charms]]
[[Category:Chinese numismatics]]
[[Category:Chinese numismatics]]
[[Category:Horses in China]]

Latest revision as of 17:32, 5 June 2024

Illustrations of Chinese horse coins depicting "Great Yellow" and "Green Ear"
A horse coin with the inscription "Ch'u Huang" (The Great Yellow Horse)

Horse coins (Traditional Chinese: 馬錢; Simplified Chinese: 马钱; Pinyin: mǎ qián), alternatively dama qian (打馬錢),[1] are a type of Chinese numismatic charm that originated in the Song dynasty (or as early as the Tang dynasty)[1] and presumed to have been used as gambling tokens. Although many literary figures wrote about these coins their usage has always been failed to be mentioned by them. Most horse coins tend to be round coins, 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in diameter with a circular or square hole in the middle of the coin. The horses featured on horse coins are depicted in various positions such as lying asleep on the ground, turning their head while neighing, or galloping forward with their tails rising high. it is currently unknown how horse coins were actually used though it is speculated that Chinese horse coins were actually used as game board pieces or gambling counters. Horse coins are most often manufactured from copper or bronze, but in a few documented cases they may also be made from animal horns or ivory. The horse coins produced during the Song dynasty are considered to be those of the best quality and craftsmanship and tend be made from better metal than the horse coins produced after.[2][3] Some horse coins would feature the name of the famous horses they depicted. It is estimated that there are over three hundred variants of the horse coin.[4][5][6] Some horse coins contained only an image of a horse while others also included an image of the rider and others had inscriptions which identify the horse or rider. During the beginning of the year of the horse in 2002 Chinese researchers Jian Ning and Wang Liyan of the National Museum of Chinese History wrote articles on horse coins in the China Cultural Relics Newspaper, noting that they found it a pity that the holes in the coins covered the saddles of the horses as this could have revealed more about ancient horse culture. Horse coins from the Song dynasty are the horse coins that are produced at the highest quality while horse coins from subsequent dynasties tend to be inferior compared to them.[7]

Horse coins often depicted famous horses from Chinese history or famous horses from Chinese mythology, while commemorative horse coins would also feature riders, such as the horse coin that features “General Yue Yi of the State of Yan” commemorating the event that a Yan general attempted to conquer the city of Jimo.[8] Another horse coin depicts the Chinese mythological horse long ju (龍駒), this horse was first mentioned in the "Rites of Zhou".[2] The Rites of Zhou describes a "dragon colt" as a horse which is "more than 8 chi (尺) tall" when its measured from its front hoof to the shoulder. One chi, during the Zhou dynasty period, was about 16.5 centimeters in the metric system.[2]

It is rare for horse coins to also feature images of horses in armour but a few rare examples from the Song dynasty exist (and it is even rarer for these coins to also feature a saddle) as well as some from the Mongol Yuan dynasty that feature horses wearing typical Mongolian horse armour. As horse coins from the Yuan dynasty are extremely rare there has not been much research undertaken in determining their usage and origins.[9]

Names

[edit]

Horse coins are referred to in Mandarin Chinese as either maqian (馬錢) or dama qian (打馬錢).[1]

When horse coins are used as game pieces they are referred to as dama geqian (traditional Chinese: 打馬格錢; simplified Chinese: 打马格钱; pinyin: dǎ mǎ gé qián) and when they are used as gambling pieces they are referred to as dama boxi (traditional Chinese: 打馬博戲; simplified Chinese: 打马博戏; pinyin: dǎ mǎ bó xì).[10]

Categorisation

[edit]

While there are many known varieties of horse coins, they can generally be categorised into three basic types based on their design.[10]

  • The first type depicts a picture of the horse on one side of the horse coin and the inscription identifying the horse written down on the other side of the coin.[10]
  • The second type has both the image of the horse as well as the inscription depicted on the same side of the coin with the reverse side being left blank.[10]
  • The third type, which is the most rarest of types, has the identical picture of the horse as well as the inscription on both sides of the coin (traditional Chinese: 合背錢; simplified Chinese: 合背钱; pinyin: hé bèi qián).[10]

Horse coins carved into cash coins

[edit]

On the island of Java it was sometimes done to take an existing circulating cash coin, for example a Kan'ei Tsūhō (寛永通寳) cash coin, and engrave the design of a horse coin into it.[11] The Javanese also did this with other designs.[11]

Ferghana horse coins

[edit]

Ferghana horse coins, also known as Sweating blood horse coins (traditional Chinese: 汗血寶馬錢; simplified Chinese: 汗血宝马钱; pinyin: hàn xiě bǎo mǎ qián) or Akhal-Teke horse coins, are a type of horse coin that feature Ferghana horses.[10] References to Ferghana horses have been traced back as far as the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty.[10] Ferghana horse coins don't include references to specific Ferghana horse, rather they display imagery and inscriptions used to represent the entire breed.[10] Ferghana horse coins date back to the Song dynasty.[10]

These horse coins display the image of a Ferghana horse with two Traditional Chinese characters hàn xiě (汗血) which translates into English as "sweats blood".[10]

Rare specimens of Ferghana horse coins

[edit]

Only a single specimen of a Ferghana horse coin with an identical obverse and reverse design (合背錢) dating to the Song dynasty is known to exist, it is 31 mm (1.2 inches) in diameter.[10] This coin was previously known to be in the collection of Mr. Wei Yutian (traditional Chinese: 衛玉田; simplified Chinese: 卫玉田; pinyin: wèi yù tián, 1854–1937) and was sold at the Xiling Yinshe Auction Co., Ltd. (西泠印社拍卖有限公司) 2017 Spring Auction for US$1,580 (or about 10,350 RMB).[12][10]

List of horse coins

[edit]

List of types of horse coins depicting famous horses:[2]

List of variants of horse coins
Transliteration Traditional Chinese Simplified Chinese Literal English translation Obverse image Reverse image
Qin jiang san qi 秦將散騎 秦将散骑 "Followers of General Bai Qi"
Yan jiang yue yi 燕將樂毅 燕将乐毅 "General Yue Yi of the State of Yan"[a]
Piao niao 驃嫋 骠袅 "Fast and slender"
Wu zhui 烏騅 乌骓 "Black spotted horse"
Tang jiang qian li 唐將千里 唐将千里 "Tang General 1,000 li"
Zhen guan shi ji
Jue bo		 貞觀十驥
決波		 贞观十骥
决波		 "Ten thoroughbreds of Zhen Guan"[b]
"Bursting as a wave"
Qian li 千里 千里 "1,000 li"
Qian li zhi ma 千里之馬 千里之马 "1,000 li horse"
Long ju 龍駒 龙驹 "Dragon's Colt"
Da-Song Jinqian
Song Qi		 大宋金錢
宋騎		 大宋金钱
宋骑		 "Great Song (dynasty) metal money"
"A rider of the Song (dynasty)"
Ying gong zhu han[13] 英公朱汗 英公朱汗 "Duke of Ying, Red sweat"
Shanzi[14] 山子 山子 "Child of the mountains"
Han Xie[10] 汗血 汗血 "Sweats blood"
Han Xie
Han Xie[10]		 汗血
汗血		 汗血
汗血		 "Sweats blood"
"Sweats blood"
King Mu of Western Zhou's horses
("The eight outstanding steeds")[c]
Qu Huang 渠黃 渠黄 "Great Yellow"
Qu Huang zhi ma 渠黃之馬 渠黄之马 "The Great Yellow horse"
Lü Er 綠耳 绿耳 "Green ear"
Jue Di 絕地 绝地 "Beyond Earth"
Ben Xiao 奔宵 奔宵 "Rush by Night"
Fan Yu 翻羽 翻羽 "Windswept Plumes"  
"Finer than Flashing Light"
Chao Ying 超影 超影 "Faster than Shadow"
Xie Yi 挾翼 挟翼 "Wing Bearer"
Chao Guang 超光 超光 "Faster than Light"
Teng Wu 騰霧 腾雾 "Rising Mist"
"Bay Steed"
Dao Li 盜驪 盗骊 "Smoked Ebony" uncertain
Chi Ji 赤驥 赤骥 "Skewbald Chestnut" uncertain

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The name is sometimes alternatively translated as "General Le Yi of the State of Yan".
  2. ^ Zhen Guan was the era name used by Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty.
  3. ^ King Mu of Zhou had once rode on a chariot with eight horses that were known as the "eight outstanding steeds". The names of these eight horses can be found on Chinese and other East Asian horse coins although there is some disagreement as to which set of eight names which were passed down through history is the correct version. The names of King Mu of Zhou's eight horses described their outstanding characteristics and included "Beyond Earth", "Rush by Night", "Windswept Plumes",  "Finer than Flashing Light", "Faster than Shadow", "Wing Bearer", "Faster than Light", and "Rising Mist".  Other historical Chinese texts list King Mu of Zhou's horses as "Bay Steed", "Smoked Ebony", "Skewbald Chestnut", "Great Yellow", and "Green Ear".

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c François Thierry de Crussol (蒂埃里) (14 September 2015). "Pièces de jeu amulettisées - Charm gambling tokens" (in French). TransAsiart. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ancient Chinese Horse Coins - 馬錢". Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture). 16 November 2016. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. ^ Sportstune (Chinese charms) Chinese charms, section 20. 20. HORSE CHARMS. Retrieved: 02 May 2018.
  4. ^ 台灣Wiki (TaiwanWiki) > 百科分類 > 錢幣 > 收藏 > 古玩 > 古幣 > 馬錢。馬錢. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in Mandarin Chinese using Traditional Chinese characters)
  5. ^ 鐵血社區. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in Mandarin Chinese using Traditional Chinese characters)
  6. ^ 中國古玩網. Retrieved: 02 May 2018. (in Mandarin Chinese using Traditional Chinese characters)
  7. ^ "Legacy of Horse-drawn Money". China Daily (Travel in China). 25 March 2002. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  8. ^ ""Battle of Jimo" Horse Coin". Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture). 18 May 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  9. ^ "Horse in Armour Horse Coins". Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture). 6 February 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n ""Sweating Blood Horse" Coin". Gary Ashkenazy / גארי אשכנזי (Primaltrek – a journey through Chinese culture). 15 December 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
  11. ^ a b "Charms". Dr. Luke Roberts at the Department of History - University of California at Santa Barbara. 24 October 2003. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  12. ^ Shouxi - Lot:5540 北宋汗血宝马马钱. 拍品分类： 古钱 - 拍品估价： RMB 无底价 - 拍品专场： 西泠拍卖2017年春拍-历代钱币 - 开拍日期： 2017-07-17 13:00:00 - 结标日期： 2017-07-17 17:00:00 - 拍品品相： 无 - 成交价格： RMB 10350 - 拍卖公司： 杭州西泠 - 拍卖状态： 成交 (in Mandarin Chinese using Simplified Chinese characters).
  13. ^ François Thierry de Crussol (蒂埃里) (14 September 2015). "Dama qian du duc Ying 英 - Duke Ying Dama qian" (in French). TransAsiart. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  14. ^ François Thierry de Crussol (蒂埃里) (14 September 2015). "Dama qian au type de Shanzi 山子 - Shanzi horse Dama qian" (in French). TransAsiart. Retrieved 27 April 2020.

Sources

[edit]
  • THIERRY, François, "Les monnaies au cheval, maqian ou damaqian", Bulletin de la Société Française de Numismatique, juin 1991, n°6, pp. 122–126 (in French).

Further reading

[edit]
  • Joe Cribb, "Horse Coins: Pieces for Da Ma, the Chinese Board-Game 'Driving the Horses'", in Irving Finkel (ed.) Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions, (London: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 116–124. ISBN 978-0-7141-1153-7.
  • Andrew Lo, "An Introduction to Board Games in Late Imperial China", in Irving Finkel (ed.) Ancient Board Games in Perspective: papers from the 1990 British Museum colloquium, with additional contributions, (London: British Museum Press, 2007), pp. 125–132. ISBN 978-0-7141-1153-7.
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