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China, Northern Song Dynasty, Emperor Tai Zu, 960 - 976 A.D.
Zhao Kuangyin (later Emperor Taizu) was from a family of modest origins. According to legend, as a child, he found an untamed horse to practice archery on horseback. The horse threw him into a wall. Witnesses thought he was seriously injured but he jumped up unharmed and chased down and subdued the horse.
When his father lost his government position, he wandered for two years but a monk, seeing through his beggar appearance, noticed his unusual aura and told him to go north where there was war and he would fight and become famous.
He distinguished himself in the army, was promoted a commander of cavalry units, and the future Emperor Shizong noticed his potential. After he rallied 4000 palace troops and held off the Liao army until reinforcements arrived, he was made Chief of the Palace troops. He continued his rise and was promoted to jiedushi, controlling most of the military power under Shizong.
When Shizong died, the throne was left to an infant. After a "prophet" reported a vision of two suns, which was interpreted as the transfer of the Heaven's Mandate, the troops declared Taizu emperor. He met no resistance and was proclaimed Taizi, the Emperor of Song. Taizu sent the dethroned baby-emperor with his mother to Xi Jing and personally ordered the Chai family to receive the Zhaos into their family's care for generations.
CH36137. Bronze 1 cash, VF, weight 3.6g, maximum diameter 25mm, 960 - 962 A.D.; obverse Song Yuan tong bao, regular script; reverse plain; Forum's random selection from the coins in the photograph, one coin; SOLD
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