Monographic Study On Money Tree Of Han Dynasty And Jin Dynasty

Money trees were scattered in the southwest China and the northwest China inEastern Han Dynasty, Three Kingdom Period and Jin Dynasty(25B.C.-420B.C.),whose center was Chengdou Plain. Money trees came into being in the early EasternHan Dynasty, became popular in the middle and late Eastern Han Dynasty, decreaseddrastically in number during Three Kingdom Period and disappeared in JinDynasty(265B.C.-420B.C.).Money trees were mainly composed of a trunk and a base, which used for buriedwith the dead in general. there were some copper numismatics emblazonries on thebranches of money tree’s trunk. In addition to the major epidemdic area of southwestChina, money trees were popular in Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai of northwest China.Money trees’ user were mainly the Han people and the Hanization Qiang people whohad money to purchase money trees, and they were middle-level officials, low-levelofficials or local dignitaries. The user there were no limit to the identity and rank.Money tree’s copper numismatics emblazonries were divided into two categories,casting and bunding by copper wire. This copper cash emblazonries whichsymbolized desire for wealth on world after death and supernatural attributes, whichthe numismatics itself had communciation with the heaven in the concept of themoney tree’s users were derived form exorcism numismatics for buried with the dead,shell-storage containers and flexible casting monetary pdlicy in Eastern Han Period.Some money trees had the Buddha figures, and the Buddha figures were dividedinto two types. On the one hand, this Buddha figures showed that Buddhism ispoupular in southwest China in Eastern Han Period, on the other hand, this Buddhafigures showed that Kaniska transformed Buddhism. This Buddha figures originatedfrom Kushan through Xinjiang. In addition, some money trees had the Queen Motherfigures and constellation figures which showed magic in Eastern Han Period ratherthan early Doist worship.