The numismatic chronicle and journal of the Royal Numismatic Society

THE ANCIENT COINS OF LIN-TZU. 125
to the local rivers, which flowed into the Gulf of
Pechili, so as to take full political advantage
salt, mining, and fishing
of the
industries. We have a full
account of how the statesman-philosopher Kwan Tsu
(-?)> about 650 B. c., reconstructed the economic life
of both people and city. The boastful statement attributed
to the deformed philosopher Yen Tsu 1 1
(^H ! who
),
in 560 B. c. visited the court of the semi-barbarous state
of Ts'u ( J|), when he took the opportunity of enlarging
upon the magnificence of this city, is worth quoting
in full: "It is," said he, "surrounded by a hundred
villages ;
the parasols of the walkers obscure the sky ;
their perspiration runs in such streams as to cause
rain ; their shoulders and heels touch together, so
closely are they packed." As Parker says in Ancient
China Simplified, " Exaggerations apart, however, there
is every reason to believe that Lin-tzu was a magni-
ficent city."
The coins of Lin-tzu known to collectors are of two
distinct shapes round and square. As the former
have so far been the only varieties edited, those of
a square shape are, I believe, here recorded and
described for the first time. They are the more
interesting of the two, as some of them have the name
of the place of issue inscribed on their surface besides
the weight value. Twelve specimens, comprising
examples of most of the known varieties, of both
round and square issues, will be found reproduced in
the accompanying figure.
Of the round coins there are two sizes. They all
bear on the obverse the same incised inscription
Sze Tchu (153^), or " Four Tchus ", on each side of the
central circular aperture. The reverse or under sides,