THE MARITIME SILK ROAD

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V27 2024 INDEX E-SYLUM ARCHIVE

The E-Sylum: Volume 27, Number 32, August 11 2024, Article 16

Ted Puls submitted this article with more information on the Maritime Silk Road. -Editor

Maritime Sik Road Cowrie shell money composite

Cowrie shells from the Maldive Islands from the Zhou Dynasty ca. 1000 B.C.

A new Chinese trade initiative has started recently called the Belt and Road initiative to counter the Transpacific Partnership of the United States. The proposed maritime trade routes and partnerships proposed really are not new, and have been used for thousands of years. Archeologists are just starting to explore the areas involved in this trade, however numismatic evidence has been long known. Our traditional idea of the land Silk Road was named in the 19th century and prior to this this trade route didn't have a specific name or this romantic sound, but was a path connecting regional trade routes.

Trade was initially encouraged along this longer and connected route by Emperor Wu (141-87B.C.) of the Han dynasty in China. The sites along this route have been studied much more than the maritime route now being called the Maritime Silk road. The maritime route was more influential and allowed much more valuable trade through most of its history. Camels were the main mode for carrying goods along much of the land Silk Road while the Maritime Silk Road used ships. Ships of the time have been found that could carry 1000 tons of valuable trade goods (sciencep1445) or the load of 1000 camels. Some ships were found that could carry 500 or more passengers. Just like caravan cities, port cities were founded to support and protect this lucrative trade (4, p1). Identifying coins required to support this trade is a challenging numismatic adventure.

Emperor Wu's accomplishment was connecting the already existing Persian Royal roads with other Central Asian trade routes and exerted military and diplomatic power to permit trade with the West. This power did wax and wane over time, and forced or encouraged trade via the ocean. Even before Emperor Wu the maritime trade had started, though somewhat in pieces. Recent archeologic study shows that South East Asia, once thought to be a backwater, was actually an important part of world commerce during this time. The Important Khmer culture at Ankor Wat formed and established a trading port at Khao Sam Kaeo to allow imports to feed needs of the wealthy during the period 400 B.C. to ca 100 A.D.(6. 1442). Goods discovered there were made in Vietnam, India, and China. To the west, India had trade with Somalia and Middle East ports as well as the East. A Roman writer of the first century wrote about where to get cinnamon and slaves in Somalia, cotton and sesame oil in India and describes sources of silk (6. p1443) Italian excavations of a Roman cargo ship at Anzio in the 1930's revealed a Shang Dynasty (c.a. 1200B.C.) bronze vessel. (1. p26).

Dramatically increased trade during the Han Dynasty connected China to Vietnam ports with Indonesian ports connected with India, Middle East and African traders during this time to make a Maritime Silk Road. During the Han era the shipping was mostly done by Arab trading ships visiting all these ports and leaving wrecked ships as evidence of their presence and of the goods transported. Roman coins are found as far east as Vietnam (6. 1443). The popularity of the maritime route was augmented by the persistent Roman problem with the Persians and Parthians cutting off silk supplies coveted by the Roman nobility. Despite this obstacle, the silk trade was large enough to require regulations about who could wear silk to save the Roman economy from sending all its precious metal currency to the East. This trade caused a unique monetary time for the Chinese government which produced large gold coins as opposed to the usual silver-bronze economy during this early period of trade. Probably due to Arab traders not being familiar with Chinese currency, I haven't heard of Han dynasty coins being found in these ports (they were certainly found and copied on the land route). The importance of Chinese coins would change with the next phase of the Maritime Silk Road. The first coin with a connection to the silk road trade were the White metal Chinese coins. These were produced in 119 B.C, the year Emperor Wu dispatched his ambassador to start formal trade on the land route. The dragon coin of 3000 cash value was one of three denominations made this year, and soon replaced by the Wu Zhu coin in 118 B.C. The Wu Zhu coin was to be used for the next 1000 years in trade.

The maritime trade and use of Wu Zhu never ceased but with the waning of the Han dynasty the protection of the Silk Road traders also waned, as did the trade, until another powerful dynasty arose. The Tang Dynasty succeeded in unifying China and controlling the areas around China so that trade was again increased. During Tang times, silk trade continued, but two new top secret products were sold. One, called porcelain was made by processes not known outside of China until the 18th century. Tea was another valuable export to be traded widely (connected to the establishment of Buddhism-allowing extended meditation). As the method of production of these items was unknown, China had a set of valuable monopolies. By this time the Tang had established shipbuilding of seafaring ships and Tang Dynasty ships were noted to be trading in Africa and Egypt. Period Chinese porcelain is found in these areas and was purchased with ivory and ambergris from Africa. Arab writers in the era recorded Chinese ships that could carry 600-700 passengers, and that these ships were too big to navigate into the Euphrates River (4. p6).

Mother Kai Yuan coin; The international trade currency during the Tang dynasty

The predominant coin of the Tang Dynasty was the long lived Kai Yuan coinage which finally replaced the Wu Zhu coins. Kai Yuan or Inaugural Coins were found in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam and were copied there too, suggesting the widespread use and acceptance. The portion of the Maritime Silk Road involving trade with Korea and Japan was called the Yellow Sea Silk Road Some of the imitations are very accurate and are hard to tell if they are local or Chinese made. Sometimes original Chinese coins were used to press the image into the mold and reproduce the coin but less sharply though close to the correct size. The coins presented below are mostly of the middle period of the Tang Dynasty with a few from other periods possibly suggesting need for producing local coinage, during the time of the weakening of the Tang Dynasty from external and internal wars. These copies were slightly smaller due to shrinkage of metal after cooling. Some coins were made clearly different in size, writing, rim size, hole size, thickness and style of casting. Another Tang dynasty trade coin is the less common Tang Dynasty coin call the Qian Yuan. In Korea (Barton) and Japan ( 2., coin 2.9,page13), rare copies are found as locally made imitations. It is hard to discern if these are poorly made imports, or locally reproduced copies, but their presence suggests maritime trade. The Silla dynasty in Korea, the usual trading partner, with China, was on the south tip of the peninsula and these rare coins found there most likely arrived by sea, if not produced locally. As happens with Chinese dynasties the power waned with some interesting battles in the north and internal battles that weakened the government so the protection of the trade routes dissipated and so did the trade. The coins presented are mostly of the middle period of the Tang Dynasty with a few from other periods, suggesting a need for producing local coinage during the time of the weakening of the Tang Dynasty from external and internal wars.

After the Tang fell, the next dynasty to strengthen trade was the highly industrialized Sung Dynasty. During this time the maritime commerce exceeded that of the land route. The land route was closed due to political change as well as climate change along the route, increasing the maritime trade route. The Chinese increased their trade presence and displaced the Arab traders during this time. This culture produced the usual silk but also large amounts of porcelain, paper- a fairly new invention, lacquer ware, and large amount of coin and iron for trade. The Chinese desired in trade: large amounts of silver, along with army horses, camels, sheep, cotton, and ambergris (4. p7). At this time trade also started with the Philippines, where there were forest products sold in trade for Chinese luxury goods (4.p1). Indonesia was another important trading location during this time for spices. Song Dynasty made coins are commonly found and also were copied in Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia. Again some are hard to tell if locally produced and others are distinctive. The Indonesian coins were apparently officially sanctioned by the Chinese Emperors, making them politically Chinese coins The official Song coins are shown with the Japanese, Vietnam, and Indonesian versions. The Japanese coins shown are good replicas for the Chinese but others are very crude copies and are thus easier to identify as local products. The better imitations usually are about 22-23 mm diameter coins approximately the size of actual coins and were made by pressing authentic coins into the casting mold. The Vietnamese made coins often are smaller about 20 -22 mm and weigh half the expected weight. The Indonesian coins are made thicker but 22 mm in diameter so they weigh near the Japanese standard. They are neatly made copies to distinguish them for the privately made coins.

The Song Dynasty eventually fell to the Mongols. This Mongol era of trade is written about by the famous Marco Polo who traveled both by the land route and also, as is often ignored, the maritime route of the Silk Road. He brought to Europe a fairly magical impression of the Chinese empire. The Mongols made few coins and tried to encourage commerce in paper money. I don't know of copies of Mongol coins made along the sea routes.

The Ming Dynasty was able to push out the Mongols in 1368 and established the next impressive dynasty. An early Ming Emperor Yong Lo is famous for the huge treasure ships which traveled throughout the Indian Ocean (and in a somewhat fanciful recent book suggesting also to Massachusetts) to collect tribute to himself. His ships brought the usual silk, porcelain, and tea, but also gold, silver and copper vessels, and umbrellas. At home he also encouraged paper money and discouraged coin use. His coins were famous as large amounts of these well-made coins were exported to Japan and became the standard currency there. The Chinese were trying to establish a paper money based economy and wanted to rid themselves of these coins. This coin was copied in high quality Eireiko Sen with varieties known and also in silver and gold. This is an example of coins being important in the Yellow Sea maritime Silk Road. This same coin was also copied in Vietnam probably from the Japanese copies suggesting significant direct trade partnership at the time. Another important Japanese coin was the Kenei Tsuho which was also copied in Vietnam in quantities suggesting an important ongoing trade relationship into the next Shoganate. The magnitude of the trade may be emphasized by the volume of coinage used. The Chinese received a request from the Shogan Ashigaka Yoshimas (1483) requesting 100,000,000 coins (3, p40). Other requests were documented of this magnitude at other times as well.

The Europeans also participated in the Maritime Silk Road. European trade with the east was hampered by high prices partially caused by the many middlemen over the land and the sea routes. Also the religious differences of the cultures in a time of religious intolerance encouraged an alternate route to be found- first by the Portuguese in the 15th and early 16th century. The Dutch, Spanish, English, and French trader's participation increased the value of the trade route. For the Europeans, luxury goods could be obtained more reliably and with vast profits. Nutmeg spice could be purchased for a small amount of silver to buy a boat load, then traded in Europe for a 60,000 percent profit (7.), enough to buy a boat load of silver. This trade connection with Europe was made during the Ming dynasty in China. For various reasons the European traders were quarantined into small areas of commerce. Hong Kong, Macao and Nagasaki, are three examples. The traders required local currency so the Dutch for example, walled off in Nagasaki, Japan, made distinctive and high-quality cash coins, to resemble Chinese Song Dynasty coins needed for trade. They used Chinese inscriptions so as to not upset the Japanese emperor. Even though this trade was made 400 years after the Song Dynasty fell, the coins were still used in international commerce.

Maritime Sik Road Sung dynasty Yuan Feng era coin

Maritime Sik Road Mother Annam coin copy

LEFT: The Sung dynasty Yuan Feng era coin
RIGHT: Annam. The copy in the size of Vietnam issues

Maritime Sik Road Treasure Fleet era coin

The coinage from the era of the Treasure Fleet of recent notoriety from Yong Le copied extensively in Japan and also Vietnam

Another poorly documented but important Maritime trade route was established when the first American ship arrive in China in 1784 to trade furs and forest products for Chinese luxury items. The trade was lucrative enough for this ship to have traveled from New York expecting to make a profit. The Denver Art Museum has Native American Costumes with Chinese coins from this era in one display. I speculate whether these 18th century Chinese coins could have come from one of these early trades as they are all from the emperor in power at this time. Certainly other sources could have supplied these coins. During the Mountain Man era (prior to the 1840's) in the U.S., traders were sometimes required to use Chinese cash coins as gifts to begin negotiations. Currently the Trans-Pacific trade is much larger now. The new trade initiative, the Belt and Road initiative , is really not new, as evidenced by ancient and less ancient coinage. Time will tell whether the new initiative will repeat the pattern of Western trade money being supplanted by Chinese cash and Chinese shipping. The coins presented in this survey of Maritime Silk Road coinage has been fun to study. Many other coin types exist from this trade not described in this article. Some must also exist from Western sources, but this is just the Eastern perspective.

1. Bussagli, Mario, Chinese Bronzes, The Hamlyn Publishing group Limited, London, 1969 page 26

3. Jones, Roger M., History and Guide to the Copper Cash Coinage of Japan, Morris publishing Kearney NE 2007

6. Sailing Sinbad's Seas, Science, sciencemag.org, 27 June 2014, vol. 344 issue 6191

8. Xinwei, Peng, A Monetary History of China, (Zhongguo Huobi Shi), , Western Washington University , 1993