Zhao Yun, the fearless warrior who overcame all obstacles and enemies at the Battle of Changban to save his General’s son. His heroic act of bravery and loyalty has since been monumented onto precious metal, a little piece of history in one’s palm.
 
The Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms refers to a period in Chinese history after the Han Dynasty, where China was split into the tripartites of Wei, Shu and Wu. During this era, feudal lords fought fiercely against one another for power and territory. While it was a tumultuous time for the Chinese, it also inspired many stories and folktales that have manifested into integral parts of Chinese culture and tradition. The ‘Three Kingdoms’ series is an eternal mark of the epic moments and events during this time, for collectors to recount the monumental parts of Chinese history from the palm of their hands.
 
Zhao Yun in the Battle of Changban
Marked across Chinese history as a brave and valiant general, Zhao Yun was one of Liu Bei’s most trusted men. While in the chaos of the battle of Changban, Liu Bei was forced to abandon his family and escape with a small entourage which included Zhao Yun, Zhang Fei and counsellor Zhuge Liang. In order to rescue Liu Bei’s wife and child, Zhao Yun left the party, turned around back north on his own and fought through Cao Cao’s army of warriors single-handedly. Upon rescuing them, he then put Liu Bei’s infant son Liu Shan on his back and again fought through all of the enemy’s attacks to deliver the two safely back to Liu Bei. His show of unwavering loyalty and courage in the battle of Changban established his heroic title in Chinese literature since then.
 
Heroic Courage and Unwavering Loyalty
On the reverse of this piece, Zhao Yun rises fearlessly from the horde of enemy soldiers coming towards him, wielding his spear and sword in hand. Liu Bei’s son Liu Shan is wrapped and secured around his chest. The juxtaposition of Zhao Yun’s undaunted and fierce expression with the baby’s look of fear elevates this work of art, underlining the importance of Zhao Yun in this battle not only as a general, but as a protector. To this effect, the two weapons in his hands are accented in deliberate gold finishing, as with the baby carrier slung around his body. Details on the piece are struck finely, from the plates on Zhao Yun’s armour to the soft drape of the carrier around Liu Shan. This is a snapshot of Zhao Yun representing heroic courage and unwavering loyalty as it was, a magnificent sculpture planted onto precious metal.
 
The Heirloom Seal of the Realm
On the obverse sits the stamp of the legendary Heirloom Seal of the Realm – an unparalleled sign of ultimate authority and power. The words ‘受命於天, 既壽永昌’, translating to “With the Mandate from Heaven, may the Emperor lead a long and prosperous life”, are inscribed in a magnificent shade of crimson red demanding authority and respect.
 
First commissioned by Qin Shi Huang when he unified China and became her first emperor, the seal was carved from precious jade and used exclusively by the Emperor – although no prints by the Heirloom Seal have been found to exist yet. This fuelled its mystery as the most priceless artefact in ancient China, yet which has since disappeared as it was passed down the ruling lineage. Because it symbolized a god-given power to rule, the seal was thus an object of rivalry and contention during the period of the Three Kingdoms, as feudal lords and warlords alike fought to possess it to demonstrate their positions as deserving leaders.
 
Grandeur Work of Art
A new minting technique called “Bi-Metal Plus” was applied to give this piece an impressive size and weight. At 80mm in diameter, it is double the size of a regular 2 oz collectible, made possible by combining 11.5 oz of copper embodied within two layers of 999 fine-silver totaling 2 oz, to deliver a super ultra-high relief topped with silver antiqued finishing.
 
This is a limited edition of 500 pieces only. Each piece is packaged and delivered with a Certificate verifying its edition number and authenticity.