Old Ration Coupons (老票证 laopiaozheng)

In the early years of New China commodities were in such short supply under central planning that the government had to ration the supply in order to provide for the world's largest population. Thus coupon tickets were issued. Here we call them "old coupon" because that period has long been history. The old coupons roughly fall into the following categories.

Coupons for food: grain and edible oil, meat, sugar, eggs, pastry, and vegetables.

Coupons for articles for daily use: coal, soap, detergent, kerosene oil, matches, bicycles, sewing machines, wristwatches, manufactured goods, purchasing coupons for peasants, and purchasing certificates for prisoners.

Coupons for special purposes: those issued for Spring Festival supplies, coupons issued during certain festivals, coupons that allow senior citizens to buy certain things, coupons to ensure the supply for women who had just given birth, coupons for patients, foreign exchange certificates for family members of overseas Chinese, coupons for the relief of flood victims, purchasing certificates for peasants and for prisoners.

Everybody kept these old coupons in the old days but few are keeping them nowadays. Those who have collected these coupons with foresight are happy to see their value soaring. To own some of the old tickets means possession of a piece of Chinese history. Today, the country is thriving and commodity supply is plentiful, and coupons are not needed any more. The younger generation has no idea what a coupon is meant for, still less do they understand why rice should be bought only with a ticket. For the younger generation to learn something about these coupons help them know something about the hard old days of the People's Republic; for the older generation to take a look at these coupons enables them to treasure today's hard-won prosperity of the country.