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The land deed was donated by the executive director of the Fujian Collector Association, Mr. Chen Yayuan, who bought it from the Dongdu Antique Market in 1998 |
How much did it cost to buy a shop with a good location in Xiamen 300 years ago? The answer is 15 taels of silver.
At a donating ceremony on Wednesday morning, the Siming Distrct Archives Bureau received 7 ancient land deeds from a local collector, including one signed in 1722 for a shop on Datie Street. The land deed was donated by the executive director of the Fujian Collector Association, Mr. Chen Yayuan, who bought it from the Dongdu Antique Market in 1998.
The shop was located on Datie Street in Kaiyuan Road, a street which was home to a lot of blacksmith shops at the time. As the street was close to the port, many ships and fishing boats had their anchors and chains repaired on the street, making it a bustling place at that time.
15 taels of silver was a big amount of money 300 years ago. According to historical records, one to two taels of silver was the total monthly spending of most families at that time.
