A Groovy Sycee Came from a "TOWN" of Shensi Province

Stephen Tai
May 15, 1998

Inscriptions: Huei Zsen [Huei Town], Ho Soon [Name of Silver Shop]
Diameter: 35(L) x 48(W) x 22(H)mm
Weight: 156g
Inscriptions: Hua Juo [Hua District] Zhang Zhong Diameter: 35(L) x 43(W) x 22(H)mm
Weight: 130g
Inscriptions: Li Chuan [Hsien, County] Chang Hsing [Silver Shop]
Diameter: 39(L) x 46(W) x 21(H)mm
Weight: 140 g

The No.1 silver is a typical Chao Yin (Groovy Silver) circulated in Shensi Province. Its feature is as same as No.2, and No.3 silver’s which are commonly seen. However, such silver has its peculiarity in the inscribed name of place where it were cast - Huei Zsen, i.e. Huei Town, unlike other counterparts were cast in Zuo (District) or Hsien (County), for instance No.2 and No.3.
Zsen in China has been a level of administrative region much lower than Juo and Hsien. Normally, it was not a qualified official sector to collect tax, or of critical public economic functions, as a result, silver ingots made in the places of Zsen, are rarely seen.
Zsen was also a place name of certain military settlement in late Ching Dynasty, there were 20 some Zsen of the kind at that time, where also cast their rations into various silver ingots. However, Huei Zsen as of No.1 silver, is obviously not one of them, and remains the preceding meaning.
Most likely, No.1 silver could be a mercantile silver cast in Huei Zsen where was a wealthy commercial town in Shensi Province.