Lesson test: Silk as money

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Silk as money

1.[2p]
A Tang bolt of silk was 40 chi long. At a chi of about 0.30 m, how long is that in metres?

CorrectNot quite: 12

2.[3p]
What made silk usable as money rather than merely valuable?

The tax system enforced statutory dimensions, so a quantity could be named in a contract without inspection

Correct

Its price never changed anywhere in Asia

The answer is: The tax system enforced statutory dimensions, so a quantity could be named in a contract without inspection

It was minted with the emperor's seal

The answer is: The tax system enforced statutory dimensions, so a quantity could be named in a contract without inspection

It could not be cut, so it could not be debased

The answer is: The tax system enforced statutory dimensions, so a quantity could be named in a contract without inspection

3.[2p]
Match each medium to the transactions it was used for in the Turfan and Dunhuang documents.

Copper coin
Grain
Bolts of silk

loans repaid at harvest
large purchases such as a horse or a slave
small everyday purchases

Show the answer

Copper coin: small everyday purchases Grain: loans repaid at harvest Bolts of silk: large purchases such as a horse or a slave

4.[2p]
Suppose 24,000 Anxi garrison soldiers each received twelve bolts of silk a year. How many bolts is that?

CorrectNot quite: 288000

5.[3p]
At 0.35 kg a bolt and 150 kg to a camel-load, how many camel-loads a year is that?

CorrectNot quite: 672

6.[1p]
China could breed cavalry horses in the numbers its armies needed.

True

The answer is: False

False

Correct

7.[3p]
Why did China buy horses from the steppe peoples it was defending against?

Horse pasture competes with grain land, so a horse raised in China loses to wheat

Correct

Chinese horses were too small to carry armour of any kind

The answer is: Horse pasture competes with grain land, so a horse raised in China loses to wheat

Chinese law forbade private horse breeding

The answer is: Horse pasture competes with grain land, so a horse raised in China loses to wheat

The steppe horses were immune to disease and Chinese ones were not

The answer is: Horse pasture competes with grain land, so a horse raised in China loses to wheat

8.[3p]
Han payments to the Xiongnu rose from about 8,000 rolls of silk in 51 BCE to about 30,000 in 1 BCE. What is the annual rate of increase, in per cent?

CorrectNot quite: 2.7

9.[2p]
What was feiqian, the Tang "flying cash"?

A certificate allowing coin deposited in one place to be drawn in another

Correct

A silk bolt stamped by the imperial mint

The answer is: A certificate allowing coin deposited in one place to be drawn in another

A tax paid by merchants for crossing a frontier

The answer is: A certificate allowing coin deposited in one place to be drawn in another

The first printed paper banknote

The answer is: A certificate allowing coin deposited in one place to be drawn in another

1.[2p] A Tang bolt of silk was 40 chi long. At a chi of about 0.30 m, how long is that in metres?

2.[3p] What made silk usable as money rather than merely valuable?

3.[2p] Match each medium to the transactions it was used for in the Turfan and Dunhuang documents.

4.[2p] Suppose 24,000 Anxi garrison soldiers each received twelve bolts of silk a year. How many bolts is that?

5.[3p] At 0.35 kg a bolt and 150 kg to a camel-load, how many camel-loads a year is that?

6.[1p] China could breed cavalry horses in the numbers its armies needed.

7.[3p] Why did China buy horses from the steppe peoples it was defending against?

8.[3p] Han payments to the Xiongnu rose from about 8,000 rolls of silk in 51 BCE to about 30,000 in 1 BCE. What is the annual rate of increase, in per cent?

9.[2p] What was feiqian, the Tang "flying cash"?

1.[2p]
A Tang bolt of silk was 40 chi long. At a chi of about 0.30 m, how long is that in metres?

2.[3p]
What made silk usable as money rather than merely valuable?

3.[2p]
Match each medium to the transactions it was used for in the Turfan and Dunhuang documents.

4.[2p]
Suppose 24,000 Anxi garrison soldiers each received twelve bolts of silk a year. How many bolts is that?

5.[3p]
At 0.35 kg a bolt and 150 kg to a camel-load, how many camel-loads a year is that?

6.[1p]
China could breed cavalry horses in the numbers its armies needed.

7.[3p]
Why did China buy horses from the steppe peoples it was defending against?

8.[3p]
Han payments to the Xiongnu rose from about 8,000 rolls of silk in 51 BCE to about 30,000 in 1 BCE. What is the annual rate of increase, in per cent?

9.[2p]
What was feiqian, the Tang "flying cash"?