論唐代的惡錢

唐代使用非計重貨幣－開元通寶，拋開傳統五銖系統的貨幣，但也從此政策上對於惡錢的認定，因為面文上不再以重量來保證的貨幣價值，而陷入許多困擾之中。歷史的經驗，是唐人唯一的參考，不過漢末以來，歷朝對於惡錢的認定並不相同，往往分為惡濫錢、古錢、民鑄錢、盜鑄錢等，有些朝代准用古錢、民鑄錢；有些朝代甚至准用重量不足的惡濫錢；有些朝代就只准用當代新鑄錢，但不限官鑄、民鑄；有些朝代則只准民間使用官鑄的新錢；更有甚者，有些朝代不鑄錢，只准使用古錢；這些五花八門的貨幣政策，迫使唐皇朝在盲目的金融管制措施中模索前進。唐代管制惡錢的政策演變，是本文研究的對象，本文將以舉證的方法，探討當時對於惡錢認定的爭議，以及惡錢出現的特殊因素。

關鍵字

魏晉；南北朝；隋唐；唐代；開元通寶；惡錢；五銖；乾元重寶；古錢；通貨

並列摘要

Tang Dynasty used not-weighted currency ”Kai-yuan tun pao” (開元通寶) instead of traditional currency system ”Wu-chu” (五銖) Therefore, from then on, Tang got troubled in definition of ”Bad Money” (惡錢) because there was no guarantee about currency weights on the surface of coins. Tang people had no guide-line to define Bad Money but follow the former historical experience. However, these definitions in history had no consistency, and differed in variation. For example, ”Bad Money” was classified into ”Bad Abused Money” (惡濫錢), ”Old Money” (古錢), ”Vernacular Money” (民鑄錢),and ”Thief-made Money” (盜鑄錢) Some emperors allowed people to use Old Money and Vernacular Money. Some allowed people to use less-weighted Bad Abused Money, and some only made legal of contemporary new-made money no matter it was made by government or ordinary people. Even worse, some emperors never make new money but only allowed Old Money currency. Varieties of currency policies forced Tang Dynasty had to discover its own financial laws like the blind headed into the dark. This article will find out real examples to research Tang's arguments in defining Bad Money. In additions, the reasons for the appearance of Bad Money are also included as an important issue in this article.