Why do ancient Chinese coins have holes?I have heard many reasons for this, many of them having some
Why do ancient Chinese coins have holes?I have heard many reasons for this, many of them having some kind of spiritual meaning. Examples; they represent the four winds, the four seasons, the four directions, etc. However there was a very practical reason for having that square hole in the coin. Ancient Chinese fashion often lacked pockets. While upper class Chinese could easily carry their wealth in a nice purse or handbag, the average peasent had to use another method. They would carry their coins tied to a piece of string. The square hole was their to make it easier to string the coins together, or even to carry a stack on a piece of knotted string. Japan also struck their coins with a similar square hole. -- source link
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