626 



DAVIS. 



Plate 145. Lower Seal on the Yung-le Notes. 



Six characters arranged as follows: 



Treasure Print Great 



Note made Ming 



Translation: "Printed Treasure-Note of the Great Ming Dynasty:' 



PLATE 144. 



PLATE 145. 



Dimensions 



1| Xls 1NDHZ3 



Dimensions 



25 X2i INCHES 



Notes of Jen-tsung (1425 A.D.) of the Ming Dynasty. 



In August of the year 1424, the Emperor Ch"eng-tsu died, where- 

 upon his son succeeded to the throne and became known as Jen-tsung. 

 In the following year he named his reign Hung-hsi. In May of that 

 year he died. During this short reign of about half a year, twenty 

 varieties of notes were emitted. Each is entitled the " Great Ming 

 Military Administration Treasure-Note". Their denominations begin 

 at 10 wen and proceed by tens to 100 and thence by hundreds to 

 1000 won. Each note bears a certain number of strings of cash pro- 

 portionate to its denomination. The designs on the borders of these 

 notes are flowers, plum l)lossoms on cracked ice, and clouds-and-bats, 

 etc. Herewith are reproduced the minimum, middle and maximum 

 denominations. 



