- Xinjiang has been the biggest stake of all Chinese territories where
resided with many different races, about 2/3 of its population are Turks.
Ching Dynasty did not declare Xinjiang as one of its provinces until the
11th year of Kuang Hsu (1886). Hence, sycee currency was first formally
introduced into this Wild West of China (Xinjiang in Chinese language
means New Territory)
- Meanwhile, Ching Government also determined to reinforce its ruling power
over this territory against the intrusion of foreign powers such as Britain
and Russian and the independence campaigns inside of the region. This effort
may also be found appeared in then Xinjiang coinage. With tens of thousand
of soldiers and immigrants dispatched into this new province, Chinese
traditional coinages—sycee currency was brought in.
- Timing may be too close to the end of this Manchurian empire, not too many
sycee cast under its Emperors’ names can be seen, except a kind cast by
Kashgar District Government with stamps in Chinese and Islamic. As for other
kinds; if any, all are unusual. No. 1 is one of the unusual types, which
could be one of the earliest group cast in the province.
- Currently almost all the Xinjiang sycee appearing in the markets were
cast in the Republican era (1912-1930s). No.2 is an exceptional specimen
cast under the regime of the Republic of China, with a special assaying chop
Dao Yen deeply stamped on the center. Dao Yen in Chinese means Examined
by the District Government. Since late Ching period, the entire Xingjiang
Province was devidied into 4 Districts - Kashgar, Aksu,
Ita, and Zhendi, the
district showing on No.2 should be one of the four. Normally, this assaying
chop can be found on many sycee specimens of Ching Dynasty, as for the
Republic’s, this is the first time.
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