澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 50 人物專訪 • EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW role in the ancient trade market and were of significant value to global trade,’ says Prof Yang. In his book Cowrie Shells and Cowrie Money: A Global History, published in 2021, Prof Yang explores the origins, evolution, and values of cowrie money from the perspective of global history. By bridging the gap between Chinese history and world history, Prof Yang paints a vast picture of monetary history with both local and global characteristics. The book analyses cowrie shells and cowrie/shell money used in India, Southeast Asia, pre-Qin China, ancient Yunnan, west Africa, the Pacific islands, and North America from the Neolithic period to the mid-20th century. The book makes breakthroughs in economic history, monetary history, maritime history, and world history, and was ranked among the ‘Top Ten Books of 2021’ by Social Sciences Academic Press (China), the ‘Top 20 History Books of 2021’ by China Reading Weekly, the ‘Recommended Books of 2021’ by The Beijing News, and ‘Recommended Books’ by the 17th Wenjin Book Award of the National Library of China. To ordinary people, a cowrie shell is merely the hard protective outer layer of a marine mollusc. But in the eyes of historian Yang Bin, this small, unassuming sea shell can provide a glimpse into a piece of global history that not many people know of. 3,000-Year-Old Cowrie Shells Yang Bin is head of the Department of History of the University of Macau (UM). In his office, one can find antiques that he has collected from around the world. They include bronze cowries from the Shang dynasty and porcelain, calligraphy works, and paintings from different eras. Among these collectables, the cowrie shells displayed on a celadon plate are the most inconspicuous, but also the oldest — they are 3,000 years old. At the beginning of the interview, Prof Yang handed us the cowrie shells so that we could observe them closely. Pearl white in colour and of similar size, the shells have a long ‘teeth mark’ on the surface and are slightly convex on the back. ‘I have been studying these cowrie shells for 18 years. These shells are valuable antiques from thousands of years ago. They played a critical 楊斌教授的辦公室放滿他的珍藏 Prof Yang Bin and his many collectables in his office
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