Before modern communications, everything was done with human on horses. So I do I make sure that the communication was legit, like the order to go to war with another nation? This would be the origin of the token based checksums we have in modern day.
Gold-Inlaid Tiger-shaped Tally with Inscription 错金杜虎符
Bronze | Warring States (475 BC – 221 BC), Qin State | Dimensions – H: 4.4cm, L: 9.5cm, Thickness: 0.7cm, Weight: 80g | Shaanxi History Museum, Unearthed from Shenjiacun in 1970 铜器 ｜战国 （公元前475年—前221年）秦国｜高4.4厘米，长9.5厘米，厚0.7厘米，重0.08公斤 | 陕西历史博物馆，1973年西安市南郊北沈家桥村出土
Fu 符 or Tally is a special certificate used by the ancient dynasty to convey orders and mobilise troops. It is usually in the shape of a tiger, so it is called a tiger tally 虎符. The tally is divided into left and right halves, the right half is left in the capital with the king, and the left half is awarded to general of the troops stationed abroad. When troops need to be deployed, the imperial envoy will go with the right half of the tally. After the army commander combines the right half of the tally with the left half, the army will obey the order conveyed by the messenger.
This particular tally was made during the reign of King Huiwen (356 BC – 311 BC) of Qin State. The inscriptions were written in the small seal script 小篆 that was used in the Qin State at that time. The text was the first time the purpose and the use of the tally was recorded in writing.
符是古代朝延用于传达命令、调动军队的一种特凭证，通常作虎形，故称虎符。符分为左右两半，右半符留在京师，左半符颁发给屯驻在外的军队。需调兵时，由朝廷使者持右半符前往，军队长官将右半符与左半符验合后，军队即技使者传达的命令行动。杜虎符有错金铭文9行40字：“兵甲之符，右才(在)君，左才杜。凡兴士被甲，用兵五十人以上，必会君符，乃敢行之。燔燧之事，虽母(毋)会待，行殴(也）。”
Tiger-shaped Bronze Token with Inscription “王命传”青铜虎节
Bronze | Warring States (475 BC – 221 BC), Chu State (annexed in 223 BC) | National Museum of China, Reportedly Unearthed at Shouxian, Anhui Province 铜｜战国（公元前475年—前221年）楚国｜中国国家博物馆，传安徽寿县出土
The main differences between a Fu 符 and a Jie 节 are in their construction and purpose; Fu is made up of two parts, which the general and the king each holding one part; Jie is a single token to represent the authority of the holder. This Jie was used as a token for entering or exiting courier stations.
The Tiger-shaped Jie (Token) with Gold Inlay Inscription 错金铭文铜虎节
Bronze | Western Han Dynasty (202 BC – 9 BC), Nanyue Period (205 BC – 24 BC) | Dimensions – H: 1.2cm, W: 19cm | Museum of the King of Nanyue Collection, excavated in 1983 from the tomb of the King Wen of Nanyue 铜｜西汉（公元前202年-前9年），南越国（约公元前 205 年- 公元 24 年）｜1.2 厘米（高）x 19 厘米（深）（完整）｜西汉南越王博物馆，1983年南越文王墓出土
This bronze Jie (token) was moulded flat into the shape of a squatting tiger, with its mouth widely opened and tail curled into the shape of the numeral eight (8). Its body was embellished with inlaid gold leaves as tiger stripes. In the middle of the body, there is an inlaid gold inscription saying “The King’s Orders to Muster the Troops” “王命||(命)車馹”.
The jie (token), which was unearthed from the tomb of Nanyue King, has its roots in State of Chu 楚 in terms of writing and decoration. It is the only tiger-shaped jie 虎节 with inlaid gold inscription of its purpose found so far. This uniqueness granted its prominence as one of the subject for the Year of the Tiger stamps in 2022.
Fading with Time
The tally and token as an instrument to mobilise armies didn’t always work. In the course of Chinese, there were many occasions that this method of controlling the military failed, especially during uprising. And by Sui and Tang dynasties, to avoid the name of the founding emperors, the tiger was replaced with the fish. eventually it was replaced with the paiza. The tiger tally faded out of history.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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