Qiantong 錢通

Qiantong 錢通 "Comprehensive Treatise on Money" is a book on money written during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Hu Wokun 胡我琨, courtesy name Ziyu 自玉, from Sichuan.

The 32-juan-long book consists of two parts, the first (juan 1-2) explaining the monetary regime (qianfa 錢法) of the Ming dynasty, the rest is divided into 13 chapters and explains all important matters of the monetary history of China. The author mostly relied on official sources like the treatises on food and commerce (Shihuo zhi 食貨志) of the official dynastic histories and statutes of statecraft (Ming huidian 明會典). The book includes many illustrations (rubbings) of coins through the ages and explains their dimensions and weights, the origin, inscriptions, and the rules of production and use.