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Qi knife Qi Zhi Fa Hua
| Issuer | State of Qi |
|---|---|
| Year | 401 BC - 220 BC |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| 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 |
| Shape | Log in to see details |
| Technique | Cast |
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| Engraver(s) | Log in to see details |
| In circulation to | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | Log in to see details |
| Reverse description | The reverse of the blade displays a single incuse Chinese ideogram 日 ('Ri') positioned in the upper field of the blade, accompanied by three parallel horizontal raised lines near the tip of the blade toward the handle junction. The shank retains the same three longitudinal parallel lines as seen on the obverse, leading to the terminal suspension ring. The casting seam and surface granulation are characteristic of Warring States period bronze production. |
| Reverse script | Chinese |
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| Edge | Log in to see details |
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| Additional information |
The "Fa Hua" (法化) inscription on Qi knife money denotes official state-sanctioned currency, distinguishing these pieces from the cruder knife forms circulating in neighboring states. Qi's knife coinage persisted through repeated political upheaval, including the near-total conquest of the state by Yan around 284 BC, when Qi was reduced to just two cities before Tian Dan's famous counteroffensive restored the kingdom. That interruption likely accounts for observable variation in fabric and weight across the type's long production span.