4 thoughts on “Ancient currency was shell. Why did the poor not go to the sea to secretly pick up more, so as to get rich?”

  1. In our country, coins have a long history. During the Xia Dynasty, there was a statement of changing things. In fact, it can also be called instead of money instead of money to exchange things they want. Most of them used to exchange livestock.
    But for large livestock like cattle and sheep, the exchange process is too troublesome. In the Shang Dynasty, with the increasingly skilled hunting skills, the ideas began to have the idea, replaced with a small thing.
    At that time, most people lived on the coast, and the shallow sea fishing and shellfish were relatively simple. Looking at the hard and small shells of the beating, they germinate the exchange of shells instead of livestock.
    This is the oldest currency, shell. After the time of the times, it gradually became a series of copper coins and coins. So during the Shang Dynasty, shells were used as currencies. Why do people do not pick up more shells and make themselves rich?
    01 small but hard shell
    Shells, living in the shell of software animals by the water, are a kind of calcification, so it is quite hard. There are many types of shells, such as tabby shell, white jade shell, five -claw shell, pearl shell, large horn snails, horseshoe snails, sea snails, etc., hundreds of them.
    The shells even have pearl -like luster, which are often used in the jewelry industry, or for making shellfish. It has certain ornamental value and is deeply sought after by the people.
    , and the pearl we know is also produced by a shellfish body. It is an ancient organic gem, and the jewelry made of good pearls can even be sold for millions.
    During ancient times, the people on the top of the mountain began to punch with the shells that were picked up, and the jewelry was worn on the neck or waist. It was not until the Shang Dynasty that people exchanged shells as coins.
    The second dynasty in Chinese history, from 1600 BC to 1046 BC. It is different from the Shang Dynasty, whether in mathematics, literature, and even in various aspects of culture, economy, etc., it has developed to a certain extent.
    Due to the unearthed Oracle, we can know that during the Yin Shang period, the text has been widely used, and the Chinese characters we use today were basically formed at the time. Coupled with the development of agriculture, animal husbandry, and handicraft industry, the economy of the Shang Dynasty is quite prosperous.
    This causes some small problems during the exchange of items. The volume of the livestock is too large, and if it is not easy to carry, etc., all kinds of disadvantages are exposed.
    The "method is always more difficult than difficulties." Some people came up with a small thing to replace it. After many attempts by the ancients, it was best to use shells as "currency", but there was no currency at that time. In this way.
    This is the initial formation of my country's currency. Since then, it has replaced livestock exchange, which is more convenient and fast. It was not until the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period that the shell goods were eliminated by people, and the bronze coins made of metal gradually emerged.
    02 has a large amount of shells but rare
    Now we know that the number of shells is like a star in the sky. The shells we can see are countless. To many shells.
    but in ancient times, it was not the case. Although the hunting technology was improved at that time, it was not like today to assist humans to fish for salvage, so fishing was still a dangerous job.
    we can learn from the relevant historical records that human fear of the sea has been from ancient times to the present, especially in ancient times when scientific and technological civilization is not high. The sea is like God.
    Then the same is true for the salvage of shellfish. They can only look for in the shallow sea area or the shore, and lose their lives if they are not careful. And due to the inconvenience of transportation, people inland cannot pick up the shell.
    The shells just salvaged cannot be used as a currency. It must be processed by a series of machining to polish the shell shell to make it shiny, which can be used for material exchange.
    The is well known that in ancient times, their rights were in the hands of some officials and nobles. Of course, the shell of currency is no exception. Ordinary people can only be used as an employment to work, or they cannot catch shells arbitrarily.
    as can only get shells by selling their own labor and sell them at a low price, so that they can get some meager "salary", and then process the acquired shells.
    The nobles are naturally unwilling to put these rights to ordinary people, so even if there are many shells at that time, people cannot pick up more shells to make themselves rich.
    03 metal smelting is becoming more and more mature, and the shell is gradually replaced
    As metal smelting becomes more and more mature, people gradually find that shells are not so good. Look, it is not as convenient and more convenient as metal.
    The during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, due to the division of the country, a variety of currencies broke out. With Qin Shihuang unified the six kingdoms, a new currency appeared.
    This also ended the age of shells as currency, but shells are still used as jewelry by rich nobles and used to embellish clothes or jewelry. It just disappears in the history of Chinese coins.
    The history of Chinese currency passes through copper coins, gold and silver, banknotes, until today's bank savings card and network payment. Only gold and silver as a currency, the longest use time, even as a global general currency.
    Amao still remembers that when people go out and go shopping a few years ago, they have to bring cash or bank savings cards. Now a mobile phone can solve all problems, and network payment has become the mainstream.
    This also caused a heavy blow to the counterfeit currency industry. People turned money into numbers one by one. Through the connection between banks and the network, it was convenient for people to lose money and collect counterfeit coins.
    . The saying goes "money can make ghosts push." We know that the role of money is very large, and we can even use money to reverse right and wrong, but "the gentleman loves wealth, you should take the way", and you cannot be reduced to a slave to money.
    "Money is like dung, benevolence is worthy of gold", some people can do their lives in order to get money, or engage in some improper industries. A Mao believes that "Saitama is not expensive, and I hope to wake up."
    "Not poverty and low, not to be rich in wealth." Money is only used to make our lives more comfortable, but it is not used to restrain us. As the saying goes, "Qian is a thing outside the body, and it does not bring to death and does not bring it." We should enjoy more free time, not under the pressure of making money every day.

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