The shell storage container was unearthed with shells inside, and these shells were accumulated, so the name reflects the concept that the people of Yunnan like to store shells and regard shells as valuable. The Dian people store the exchanged shells as wealth or treasures, or as general equivalents in the local area to exchange for livestock, metals, slaves, gems, etc.

The products provided by Dian Kingdom are mainly native products and raw materials. Due to the lack of records, the products that can be known mainly include livestock such as cattle, horses, and sheep, and mineral products such as gold, silver, and copper. [15] The Dian Kingdom also exported a special product, namely “Botong”.

Most of the commodities imported from outside to Dian were items that Dian lacked or could not produce. According to literature records and archaeological data, it is mainly some handicraft products, special products and works of art from other places. Such as silk, bronze mirror, crossbow machine, iron sword, bucket, bell, 鍪, incense burner, agate, jade, turquoise, malachite beads, gold beads, bess and so on. Handicraft products such as silk, bronze mirrors, crossbows, and iron swords were mainly imported from the mainland. [16]

The exchange of commodities between Dian Kingdom and the outside world is mainly realized in two ways. One is direct barter. The second is through equivalents.

The commodity trade industry in Dian is relatively developed.

Shells are used as currency by the Dian people and are usually stored in “shell storage containers”.

The import and export trade of Dian is relatively developed. Most of its export products are native products, livestock such as cattle, horses, and sheep, and raw materials for mineral products such as gold, silver, and copper. The imported goods are mainly handicraft products, foreign specialties and works of art, such as silk, bronze mirrors, crossbows, etc. Many products come from the Han Dynasty.

Dian Kingdom and Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia had exchanges and trade exchanges of goods earlier. “Historical Records” records that in the Western Han Dynasty, there were Shu cloth and Qiong bamboo sticks that were transported from Shendu to the southwest through long distances in Daxia. Among the cultural relics unearthed in South Asia and West Asia, there are also items such as flesh-etched red chalcedony beads and glazed beads made in Southwest China.