China is one of the earliest countries to use money in the world, with a history of 5,000 years. In the process of its formation and development, China's ancient currency experienced six major changes:

First, the evolution from natural currency to artificial currency

In China's Chinese characters, most of the words related to value come from "Bei". It can be seen that shellfish is the earliest currency in China.

With the rapid development of commodity exchange, the demand for money is increasing, and shells can no longer meet people's needs. People began to imitate shells with copper. The appearance of copper shell is a significant evolution from natural currency to artificial currency in the ancient currency history of China.

With the extensive use of artificial coins, seashells, a natural currency, gradually withdrew from the currency stage in China.

Second, the evolution from messy shape to standard shape.

From the appearance of bronzes in Shang Dynasty to the Warring States Period, China's currency gradually formed four systems characterized by feudal lords dominating the whole country, namely shovel currency, knife currency, ring currency and Chu currency (gold and ant nose currency).

After Qin unified China, Qin Shihuang promulgated the earliest monetary law in China in 2 10 BC, "taking Qin coins as the world's currency", which stipulated that the whole country should use Qin's square and semi-written language.

The circulation of coins of round square hole, Qin and semi-Liang in the whole country ended the chaotic state of different forms and different weights in ancient China, which was a major evolution from chaotic form to standardized form in the history of ancient China currency. The shape of this circular square hole determined by Qin Banliang Qian continued until the early Republic of China.

Third, the evolution from local currency to central currency.

According to the Records of Hanshu Shihuozhi, after Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty, private minting of coins was allowed. Rich gentry, businessmen and local forces took the opportunity to make profits by casting bad money. When Wendi was a "doctor Deng Tong", he made money for the king.