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Qi knife Qi Jian Zao Bang Chang Fa Hua
| Issuer | Qi, State of |
|---|---|
| Year | 401 BC - 220 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Currency | Log in to see details |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | Log in to see details |
| Diameter | Log in to see details |
| Thickness | Log in to see details |
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| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Chinese |
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| Reverse description | Log in to see details |
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| Reverse lettering | 化 (Translation: Hua) |
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| Additional information |
The State of Qi occupied the northeastern corner of the Zhou world — modern Shandong — and its knife money circulated through a commercial economy notable for its salt and silk trades. The inscription on this type has been the subject of sustained scholarly debate; "Qi Jian Zao Bang Chang Fa Hua" is one of several reading conventions, and no consensus on the precise meaning of every character has been reached. What is agreed is that "Fa Hua" functions as a denominational or authorizing phrase, and that Qi's knife currency was sufficiently standardized to suggest state-controlled casting rather than merchant-house production.
The date range spans the Warring States period from the early fourth century through Qin's final conquest in 221 BC, when knife money was abolished outright by Qin Shi Huang in favor of the round coin with square hole.