Spatio-Temporal Coin Informatics Reveals Agro-Environmental Trade Resilience in Eastern Han Dynasty

Hampered by fragmented data, traditional Eastern Han monetary research cannot capture currency circulation's spatiotemporal dynamics. To address key gaps, this study develops an integrated system merging HGIS, archaeological metal composition analysis, and spatio-temporal network simulation. Based on Eastern Han counties, the authors achieved high-precision coin-hoard registration and built three models (quality heat map, circulation network, time series map). Key findings include: (1) a three-tier core-edge monetary gradient (Sili-Yuzhou core, Hebei-Jingyang transition, Yizhou-Liangzhou margin); (2) the 140–160 AD Qiang War drove a 230.4% Kanto-Hexi currency surge, verifying military expenditure's traction on monetary networks; (3) post-184 AD Yellow Turban Uprising, Jiaozhi Commandery saw severe monetary centrifugation (rising diameter deviation, falling central standard coin ratio). Via a coupling framework, the authors replaced static views, tying monetary fragmentation to imperial decline and supplying a reusable pre-modern geo-economic model.