DescriptionDuring the Guang Xu reign the country and the coinage went through difficult times but the government managed to hold on. The year name replacing the TONG BAO (money) on the coins is an unusual feature.The western region of China is today called Xinjiang, which means “new territories.” The majority of the inhabitants have been mostly various Turkic tribes. Chinese occupation was begun during the Tang Dynasty, followed by several centuries during which China was preoccupied with other issues, such as the northern tribes and the Mongols. During the Qing Dynasty more attention was paid to Xinjiang and a program of occupation and absorption began that continues to today.The oldest Chinese coins are at least as old as the earliest Greek coins. The Chinese coinage system differed from other systems in two ways. It was monometallic, only bronze coins circulated in general commerce. Gold and silver were treated as commodities. And the manufacturing method was by casting in moulds rather than by striking heated solid planchets.
