【AI再現】鎌倉の大仏は「中国の小銭」でできている？ 1252年、溶かすと2倍になった宋銭のカラクリ
世界史の分け前
69 views
The Great Buddha of Kamakura weighs 121 tons. However, at that time, Japan had very little copper.
The material believed to have been used is small coins from the Song Dynasty in China.
Why did the coins that China relinquished become bells and Buddha statues in Japan, and eventually Japanese currency? We will trace who benefited and who lost.
▼ Sources and References
【Books】
・Akira Kuroda, "Currency in History: East Asia Connected by Copper Coins," Iwanami Shinsho
(Number of Heian bells, Southern Song iron coins, price of copper in 1298, comparison of the composition of the Great Buddha and Song coins, transactions between Yuan and Japanese coins, bell of Zenjo-ji Temple, etc.)
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0F1TZNDY...
【Historical Materials】
・"History of Song," Annals of Emperor Ningzong Keigen 5 (1199)... Prohibition of copper coin transactions with Goryeo and Japanese merchants
Bao Hui, "Letter of Prohibition on Copper Coins" ("Ao Bō Ware Lue," Volume 1)... Stories of Japanese ships and copper coins, and the disappearance of small change from the town of Taizhou
Bao Qing Si Ming Zhi, Volume 6 (1227)... Goods coming from Japan (gold, gold dust, mercury, sulfur, pine and cedar planks)
Yuan Shi, Food and Money Section, Chōfa... Yuan's paper money and the fact that coins were not minted
Azuma Kagami... The bell of Godaido in 1235, the start of casting of the Great Buddha in 1252, and the decree on the use of coins in 1226
[Research/Public Institutions]
Kōtoku-in Temple, "National Treasure Bronze Seated Amida Buddha Statue" "Repair Work Report" (1961) / Preservation and Repair Report (2016)... Weight and composition of the Great Buddha
Yoshimitsu Hirao et al., "Natural Scientific Study of Copper Ingots Excavated from Around the Great Buddha of Kamakura, Kotoku-in Temple" (2002)... Analysis of lead isotope ratios
Tsutomu Saito, "Estimation of Origin Based on Lead Isotope Ratios"... Positioning and Reservations for the Above Analysis
Liu et al., Archaeometry (2025)... Metal of the Great Buddha and Copper Ingots in the South China Sea
Hiroshi Arai, "The Great Buddha of Kamakura and Song Dynasty Coins"... Estimate of the Amount of Coins Needed (Approximately 40,000 kan)
Korea National Maritime Heritage Institute... Sinan Shipwreck (1323, 28 tons of copper coins, approximately 8 million coins)
Bank of Japan Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies Currency Museum… Prohibition of the use of Yuan dynasty coins, and the prohibition and spread of Song dynasty coins in Japan (1179, 1192)
*It is still unknown whether the material used for the Great Buddha was "Song dynasty coins" or "a lump of Chinese copper."
*The video includes AI reconstructions based on records. The casting of the Great Buddha is an estimation due to the lack of records.
▼ Images and Sound
Photos: Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Kamakura) Maarten Heerlien (CC BY 2.0) / Yuanfeng Tongbao (Coin) Jean-Michel Moullec (CC BY 2.0) / Wado Kaichin (Coin) National Institute for Cultural Heritage (CC BY 4.0)
Photos (Public Domain/CC0): Kamakura Daibutsu, Todai-ji Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple), Northern Song Dynasty Coins, Xin'an Shipwreck (Government of the Republic of Korea), Azuma Kagami (National Archives of Japan)
Illustrations: Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Zhang Zeduan), Ippen Shonin Picture Scroll, Mongol Invasion Picture Scroll (all public domain)
Map: NASA Earth Observatory "Blue Marble Next Generation"
Sound Effects: OtoLogic (CC BY 4.0) https://otologic.jp
BGM: solareca
@solareca
As an Amazon Associate, World History's Share of the Market earns revenue through qualified sales.
*The links in the description box contain advertisements (affiliates).
#WorldHistory #GreatBuddhaOfKamakura #SongCoins #HistoryOfMoney #JapanSongTrade
【AI再現】鎌倉の大仏は「中国の小銭」でできている？ 1252年、溶かすと2倍になった宋銭のカラクリ
世界史の分け前
69 views
The Great Buddha of Kamakura weighs 121 tons. However, at that time, Japan had very little copper.
The material believed to have been used is small coins from the Song Dynasty in China.
Why did the coins that China relinquished become bells and Buddha statues in Japan, and eventually Japanese currency? We will trace who benefited and who lost.
▼ Sources and References
【Books】
・Akira Kuroda, "Currency in History: East Asia Connected by Copper Coins," Iwanami Shinsho
(Number of Heian bells, Southern Song iron coins, price of copper in 1298, comparison of the composition of the Great Buddha and Song coins, transactions between Yuan and Japanese coins, bell of Zenjo-ji Temple, etc.)
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0F1TZNDY...
【Historical Materials】
・"History of Song," Annals of Emperor Ningzong Keigen 5 (1199)... Prohibition of copper coin transactions with Goryeo and Japanese merchants
Bao Hui, "Letter of Prohibition on Copper Coins" ("Ao Bō Ware Lue," Volume 1)... Stories of Japanese ships and copper coins, and the disappearance of small change from the town of Taizhou
Bao Qing Si Ming Zhi, Volume 6 (1227)... Goods coming from Japan (gold, gold dust, mercury, sulfur, pine and cedar planks)
Yuan Shi, Food and Money Section, Chōfa... Yuan's paper money and the fact that coins were not minted
Azuma Kagami... The bell of Godaido in 1235, the start of casting of the Great Buddha in 1252, and the decree on the use of coins in 1226
[Research/Public Institutions]
Kōtoku-in Temple, "National Treasure Bronze Seated Amida Buddha Statue" "Repair Work Report" (1961) / Preservation and Repair Report (2016)... Weight and composition of the Great Buddha
Yoshimitsu Hirao et al., "Natural Scientific Study of Copper Ingots Excavated from Around the Great Buddha of Kamakura, Kotoku-in Temple" (2002)... Analysis of lead isotope ratios
Tsutomu Saito, "Estimation of Origin Based on Lead Isotope Ratios"... Positioning and Reservations for the Above Analysis
Liu et al., Archaeometry (2025)... Metal of the Great Buddha and Copper Ingots in the South China Sea
Hiroshi Arai, "The Great Buddha of Kamakura and Song Dynasty Coins"... Estimate of the Amount of Coins Needed (Approximately 40,000 kan)
Korea National Maritime Heritage Institute... Sinan Shipwreck (1323, 28 tons of copper coins, approximately 8 million coins)
Bank of Japan Institute for Monetary and Economic Studies Currency Museum… Prohibition of the use of Yuan dynasty coins, and the prohibition and spread of Song dynasty coins in Japan (1179, 1192)
*It is still unknown whether the material used for the Great Buddha was "Song dynasty coins" or "a lump of Chinese copper."
*The video includes AI reconstructions based on records. The casting of the Great Buddha is an estimation due to the lack of records.
▼ Images and Sound
Photos: Kamakura Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Kamakura) Maarten Heerlien (CC BY 2.0) / Yuanfeng Tongbao (Coin) Jean-Michel Moullec (CC BY 2.0) / Wado Kaichin (Coin) National Institute for Cultural Heritage (CC BY 4.0)
Photos (Public Domain/CC0): Kamakura Daibutsu, Todai-ji Daibutsu (Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple), Northern Song Dynasty Coins, Xin'an Shipwreck (Government of the Republic of Korea), Azuma Kagami (National Archives of Japan)
Illustrations: Along the River During the Qingming Festival (Zhang Zeduan), Ippen Shonin Picture Scroll, Mongol Invasion Picture Scroll (all public domain)
Map: NASA Earth Observatory "Blue Marble Next Generation"
Sound Effects: OtoLogic (CC BY 4.0) https://otologic.jp
BGM: solareca
@solareca
As an Amazon Associate, World History's Share of the Market earns revenue through qualified sales.
*The links in the description box contain advertisements (affiliates).
#WorldHistory #GreatBuddhaOfKamakura #SongCoins #HistoryOfMoney #JapanSongTrade