Kerala - Kozhikode   

Chinese coins `discovered' in library

R. Madhavan Nair

15 books of palm-leaf manuscripts tied with ancient Chinese coins on their cover have been found.

KOZHIKODE: Liu Yinghua, a physician from China, now at the University of Calicut to study Sanskrit, found an ancient Chinese coin tied on the wooden cover of a manuscript book on April 4.

After that "discovery," with the assistance of the clerks of the manuscripts library, Dr. Liu found 15 books of palm-leaf manuscripts tied with ancient Chinese coins on their cover.

All these manuscripts were in Malayalam, not Sanskrit, Rajendran, Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, told The Hindu .

Emperors

Dr. Liu said five of the coins were of Qianlong Tongbao, three of Jiaqing Tongbao and one of Daoguang Tongbao. Qianlong Tongbao, an Emperor of Qing dynasty of China, his son, Emperor Jiaqing, and grandson, Emperor Daoguang, reigned in succession from 1736 to 1850. Tongbao means currency.

In ancient China, coins were the popular currency, says Dr. Liu.

Every emperor ended the coins of his predecessor when they ascended the throne, and issued new currencies with their name.

Emperor Qianlong reigned from 1736 to 1795, Jiaqing from 1796 to 1820 and Daoguang from 1821 to 1850.

The manuscripts found tied with Qianlong coins (1736-1795 AD) were: the Mahabharata; Adhyatmaramayana; Horasaram; Muhurtabaranam; Krishnagatha; Ramacharitham Pattu; Noushadeeyacaritadeeka; Vyakhya Krishnagada; Smarthaprayaschithavimarxini and Raghuvamsam.

Manuscripts with Jiaqing coins are Sivapuranam; Valmikiramayanam; Dasamam Kilippattu; Vasthuvakakanakku; and Adhyadamaramayanam kilipattu;

A manuscript with Daoguang coin is Pathinaluvratham.

An indecipherable coin (Qing dynasty) was found on the manuscripts of Bharatam Kilippattu.

Useful for study

Dr. Liu believes that since ancient Chinese coins are cultural relics, these can be useful in the study of Kerala's history and so, should be conserved and exhibited with a brief introduction about their historical and cultural value.

Since the coins are easily susceptible to rust in this climatic condition (there is one coin in a deplorable condition), Dr. Liu wants the coins protected using special technologies and equipment.

Besides the Chinese coins, those from ancient India or other countries are also there. Chinese travellers had visited Kozhikode in the past. European travellers, among them Marco Polo, had also visited Kozhikode.

Marco Polo reached Kozhikode on his way back home from China.

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