These are parts of a weighing scale – the rod is used as the axle for holding the weights and objects to be weighed.
Plaque and Measuring Rod with Emperor’s Decree of New Measurements 同律度量衡诏版、衡杆
Bronze ware | The First Year of the Xin (9th AD) | Dimensions – (plaque) 25.8cm x 25.8cm, (rod) L: 64.7cm, W: 3.3cm | Shanghai Museum Collection. 铜器｜新始建国元年（9年）｜版 – 长25.8厘米，宽25.8厘米、衡杆 – 长64.7厘米，宽3.3厘米｜上海博物馆藏
Xin Mang 新莽 (9-23 AD) is referred to by historians as the interregnum period of the Han dynasty, and usually not considered separately as a dynasty due to the short period and lack of succession. But they did try to make some reforms to ease the tensions between the proletariat and the ruling class due to slavery and over taxation.
These plates are used to proclaim the rightful rule of Wang Mang 王莽 (45 BC – 23 AD), the new Emperor of Xin dynasty, who usurped the throne of the child emperor Liu Ying 劉嬰 (r. 6-8). The act of standardising the metrics of measurement was a decree of his rights over the rule of law.
Measuring Rod 衡杆
The measure rod works like a weighing scale, where an object is hung on one end with weights are hung on the other to measure the weight of the object. 1
There are 4 pieces of weights inscribed with their respective weights – “three catties by law” “律三斤”, “nine catties by law” “律九斤”, “thirty catties by law” “律权钧重卅斤” and “four jun by law” “律权石重四钧”. Converting to modern day weights, they are about 750g, 2.25kg, 7.5kg and 30kg respectively. Take the 9 catties weigh, it now weighs 2.2247 kg, missing its intended weight by 25g.
Inscriptions on both the plaque and rod are similar:
黄帝初祖，德币于虞；虞帝始祖，德币于新。歲在大梁，龍集戊辰；戊辰直定，天命有民；據土德受，正號即真。改正建丑，長壽隆崇；同律度量衡，稽當前人。龍在己巳，歲次實沈；初班（頒）天下，萬國永遵。子子孫孫，亨（享）傳億年。
The edict is of great significance for us to understand the politics and culture of the Xin Mang period.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnotes :
- 2017年山东邹城邾国故城遗址出土的8件新莽时期铜度量衡器中，有铜权4件和铜衡1件，应为1套。权衡1套5件的使用类似于现在的天平称重：衡即秤杆，权为砝码，衡中部的钮用作称重时的支点，衡杆两侧分别挂载铜权和货物。新莽铜衡属于等臂式衡器，只能称与其砝码相等的重量，也就是《汉书•律历志》中说的“权与物钧而生衡”。 ↩︎
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