Tang Silver Ingots

Timeline

1. 701–780Taifu Temple, Chang'an · ShaanxiTang circuits remitted yong-diao taxes and tribute to the central government in the form of silver ingots; the Taifu Temple and Shaofu Supervisorate were responsible for inspection, smelting, and storage, with prefecture names, weights, and supervisory officials' marks chiseled onto the ingots to prevent counterfeiting.
2. 780–800Two capitals and the Jianghuai fiscal region · ChinaIn the first year of Jianzhong, Yang Yan implemented the two-tax system, with household tax paid in cash and land tax in kind or converted to silver; silver ingots became a key form for large-scale state tax collection and military commissioner pay disbursement, significantly raising the monetization of silver.
3. 701–800Hexi Corridor · GansuBeyond domestic finance, silver ingots served as a high-value means of payment in large-scale Silk Road trade, forming a cross-regional settlement network with Persian silver coins, Sogdian merchants' textiles, and other goods.