Teochew Letters 潮州僑批
Currencies Used 僑批與批銀
Teochew Letters appeared in the early 19th century in fulfillment of a social need during a time when financial and postal services were at best primitive. In the late 20th century, the letters represented an economic lifeline for many families with members living as emigrants abroad. Almost half of all dependents in the Teochew region obtained support for living from overseas remittances received every month. The money received typically accounted for 80% of a household’s income. The letter/remittance industry flourished during an era of great changes in China and the world. As a result of the shifting times, a diversity of currencies were remitted through the Teochew Letters.
僑批是在十九世紀上半葉金融、郵政機構尚未建立和極不完善的情況下應運而生的“銀信合封”特殊寄匯方式。到了二十世紀下半葉，僑批成为了潮州僑胞眷屬的經濟“生命錢”。約佔潮州僑鄉總人口一半的僑眷都靠海外寄回的批款維持生計，平均每月收的批款，約佔家庭總收入的80%。其中，批銀貨幣種類的多樣性中印證了當時中國乃至世界的巨大變遷。
Large amount of foreign currencies flowed into the Teochew region after Swatow became a Treaty Port in 1860. The most common was the Mexican Dollar. In the 15th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1889), the Qing dynasty issued the Chinese Silver Dollar or Yuan. Because the coins were imprinted with a dragon, they were called as the "Guangxu Dragon". 1935年以前,潮州地區使用銀幣。1860年汕頭開埠後,外國銀圓流入潮州,墨西哥鷹洋為早期的僑批封實物中最常用於支付僑批款的銀幣,又稱"英洋"。1889年,即光緒十五年,正面書"光緒元寶"、背面是中國蟠龍圖案的銀幣出現, 俗稱"光緒龍"。
After the Republic of China was declared in 1912, a currency with Sun Yat Sen's portrait, called the "Little Head of Sun", was minted in Nanjing. In 1914 "Big Head of Yuan", named after President Yuan Shikai, was put into circulation by the rival political centre in Tianjin. Thus money remitted was referred by different names in Teochew Letters sent before 1935. 1912年民國成立,南京造紙廠開鑄"孫像"開國紀念幣,俗稱"孫小頭";1914年,天津造幣總廠鑄造的"袁大頭"銀幣流入市場。因此1935年前的潮州僑批上,可看到"洋銀"、"大洋"、"大洋銀"、"龍銀"、"大銀"、"光銀"、"鷹銀"、"平板銀"等多種名稱。
A close-up of stamped instructions for the remittance currency to be converted into Southern Note and the issue of a depository slip. Based on the postmark on the back of the cover, the letter was sent on 22 January 1950. From letter artefacts collected so far, it can be known that the conversion of remittance into Southern Note took place between October 1949 and January 1950. 批封背面蓋1950年1月22日僑批日戳,從已收集到的潮州僑批實物中。目前所見的寄港幣"折南方券"、"升南方"、"實收南方券"的僑批,均在1949年10月至1950年1月之間。
Large amount of foreign currencies flowed into the Teochew region after Swatow became a Treaty Port in 1860. The most common was the Mexican Dollar. In the 15th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1889), the Qing dynasty issued the Chinese Silver Dollar or Yuan. Because the coins were imprinted with a dragon, they were called as the "Guangxu Dragon". 1935年以前,潮州地區使用銀幣。1860年汕頭開埠後,外國銀圓流入潮州,墨西哥鷹洋為早期的僑批封實物中最常用於支付僑批款的銀幣,又稱"英洋"。1889年,即光緒十五年,正面書"光緒元寶"、背面是中國蟠龍圖案的銀幣出現, 俗稱"光緒龍"。