The bronze coins of the zodiac in the art of the zodiac

The Dictionary of Ancient Money quotes the compilation of history: life money has the Chinese zodiac on the front. Zhang Duanmutian:' This money used to be called life money, with twelve characters of earthly branches and the shape of a zodiac.' The theory of the zodiac began in Huainanzi, so money doesn't necessarily come from modern times. Today, this money has one word, two words, four words and twelve gifts, with different sizes and various types. Therefore, zodiac coins, also known as twelve money and life money, are also more interesting varieties in zodiac modeling.

Zodiac coins were minted in the Song and Yuan Dynasties. One is to cast a character above the hole and a corresponding zodiac sign below the hole, such as casting a mouse with a sub-coin and a pig with a sea-character coin. The mode is relatively simple. There is another kind, the front is cast with the words "ugly", "cloudy" and "hairy", and the back is cast with four zodiac signs: rat, ox, tiger and rabbit. There is also a form of casting in the afternoon on the front, and casting the patterns of people and horses on the back; There is a picture of a man and a chicken on the front, which highlights the relationship between man and the zodiac.

There is a kind of zodiac money, with a double circle on the front, 12 characters cast on the inner ring and zodiac characters cast on the outer ring; There are imperial edicts on the left and right of the back. On the right is Tota, and below is the beast. This ancient coin, its graphics have gone beyond the simple content of dominating the zodiac.

There is also a kind of zodiac money, the pattern is in the form of beads. The zodiac signs on the front of this modeling work are embedded in twelve small circles, with the perforation as the center, and six small circles surround to form a circle, and the outer circle is surrounded by six small circles, separated by moire, and the zodiac signs are bead-shaped. Lotus, reed, double geese and other patterns are cast on the back.

In addition, some people recite Kyrgyz characters of longevity, wealth, world and equality. Those who recite gossip are called gossip money. Those star officials who recite the core memorial of life are called the core memorial of life money. There are also patterns such as Zhang Tianshi exorcising ghosts, turtle cranes celebrating their birthdays, adding officials to make a fortune, and crouching tiger.