Author Qin dynasty imperial government
Date of creation 221 BCE
Qin Bronze Weight (Quán 权)
A bronze weight cast after Qin Shi Huang's unification of China, inscribed with the imperial edict standardizing weights across the empire. Used with a balance scale for trade and taxation.
Image: Qin Dynasty quán (standard weight) inscribed with the characters "xún yì" (a place name, now in Shaanxi province). Collection of the Tianjin Museum.