Page:Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society - Volume 1.djvu/300

Rh propose, that "from the summer half-year of the 4th of Taou kwang, the mint should be shut, and all further coinage suspended: the soldiers receiving their pay in silver, until the relative values of silver and currency approach nearer to a par." The Emperor returns for answer— "The address has been recorded." And a later gazette conveys his assent to the measure.

A.D. 1643. The founder of the present Manchow Tartar dynasty, by driving out the Ming, or Chinese dynasty. He compelled the Chinese to shave their heads, and wear long tails, like the Tartars. Reigned eighteen years. The other two characters, Tung-paou, denote that the coin is current throughout the empire. The reverse of the coin bears the Tartar character.

A.D. 1661. The second Emperor of the present dynasty. Reigned sixty-one years. He has been very much praised by the Jesuit missionaries, to whom he showed great favours.