Ye Shi wrote numerous articles and extensive discussions on topics such as finances, government organization, and the military. His approach towards tackling issues of the state caused puzzlement among Southern Song government officials. He also defended
Wang Anshi's stance that the
New Policies falls on "li cai" (the proper managing of government finances) even though he argued that the actual policies crossed the line into "yan li" (accumulating material gain).
Monetary theory During a time of opposition against the adoption of
paper money, Ye introduced a view of money which emphasized its role as a medium of exchange created by merchants for trade. Ye argued that during the age of sage-kings, people were self-sufficient, producing all necessary goods. As societies became more complex, a
division of labor emerged, leading to a need for exchange and the use of money as a measure of value. This transition allowed various commodities to be quantified: cloth in feet and inches, grain in pecks and bushels. The establishment of the
Qin and
Han empires significantly expanded trade, with coinage becoming the preferred medium of exchange due to its convenience. By the end of the Former
Han dynasty, precious materials like jade and gold were primarily ornamental. Ye believed that a stable currency system was not realized until the
Tang dynasty began minting the Kaiyuan coin in 621. ==Works==