The Numismatic Chronicle 171 Offprint - Royal Numismatic Society

THE CONFUCIAN MESSAGE ON VIETNAMESE COINS 397
51. 顯顯令德,宜民宜人 Hiển Hiển lệnh Đức, nghi dân nghi nhân
Ch. Xuan xuan ling de, yi min yi ren // So brilliant is his virtue, good for the people,
good for mankind.
Inscription found on coins of the Tự Đức era. 217
The expression describes King Cheng of Zhou; it is a verse from the poem Jiale in
the Book of Odes (Shijing); 218 it is cited in a variant form in the Doctrine of the Mean
(xianxian ling de yi min yi ren 憲憲令德,宜民宜人). 219
52. 受祿于天,保佑命之 Thụ lộc vu thiên, bảo hựu mạng chi
Ch. Shou lu yu tian, bao you ming zhi // With honours from heaven, he preserves
the Mandate.
Inscription found on coins of the Tự Đức era. 220
This maxim is taken directly from the poem Jiale in the Book of Odes (Shijing) 221
and is reproduced in The Doctrine of the Mean. 222 In the poem these eight characters
follow the eight characters of type 51, to give ‘So brilliant is his virtue, good for the
people, good for mankind. With honours from heaven, he preserves the Mandate.’
53. 於萬斯年,受天之祐 Ư vạn tư niên, thụ thiên chi hựu
Ch. Yu wan si nian, shou tian zhi you // In all places and all times, [may you] receive
the blessing of heaven.
Inscription found on coins of the Tự Đức era. 223
This maxim is taken from the poem Xia Wu 下武 in the Book of Odes (Shijing), and
refers to King Wen: ‘And thus he appeared, and his descendants will follow the line
of their ancestor Wu, in all places and all times, [may you] receive the blessing of
heaven.’ (Zhao zi lai xu, sheng qi zhu Wu. Yu wan si nian, shou Tian zhi you 昭茲來
許,繩其祖武。於萬斯年,受天之祐). 224
217 AMM, no. V210.
218 Shijing, Daya-II-V, p. 359. Waley (Book of Songs, p. 181, no. 172) translates this as ‘[All happiness
to our lord !/]May he show forth his inward power,/Bring good to the common people and to the men
of Zhou.’
219 Zhongyong, XVII, p. 41. Legge (Four Books, p. 374) translates this as ‘[In the Book of Poetry,
it is said, ‘The admirable, amiable prince] displayed conspicuously his excelling virtue, adjusting his
people, and adjusting his offi cers’.
220 Lacroix, Numismatique annamite, no. 476; CMV, no. 1827.
221 Shijing, Daya-II-5, p. 359. Waley (Book of Songs, p. 181, no. 172) translates this as ‘He shall get
rewards from Heaven ;/Safety, succour are ordained for him,/From heaven held out to him.’
222 Zhongyong, XVII, p. 41. Legge (Four Books, p. 374) translates this as ‘Therefore, he received from
Heaven the emoluments of dignity. It protected him, assisted him, decreed him the throne.’
223 CMV, no. 1836; Barker, Historical cash coins of Viêt Nam, no. 193.
224 Shijing, Daya-I-9, p. 344. Waley (Book of Songs, p. 265, no. 248) translates this as ‘Yes, gloriously
he steps forward/Continuing in the footsteps of his ancestors./’For myriads of years/May you receive
Heaven’s blessing!’