Fuhai (English spelling)

Japanese: 符牌 - ふはい（英語表記）fú pái

A general term for various types of proof used since ancient times in China. Also called paifu. A talisman is in the form of a tally, while a tile is in the form of a standalone item. Both were made of copper, gold, silver, bamboo, wood, silk, or paper, and were used as proof for government requisitions, relay races, travel, trade, entering and exiting city gates, etc. Their existence was already known during the Warring States period, but they were institutionalized in the second year after Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty (162 BC) when the Bronze Tiger Sign was created. The Bronze Tiger Sign consists of two pieces, one on the left and one on the right, made of copper and tiger-shaped material. The right piece was given to the imperial court and the left piece to local officials. When soldiers were requisitioned, an envoy was sent to the provinces carrying the right piece, and the right piece was used to check the authenticity of the sign along with the left piece.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国で古くから行われた各種の証明物件の総称。牌符ともいう。符は割符形式，牌は単独形式で，いずれも銅，金，銀，竹，木，帛(きぬ)，紙などで作られ，政府の徴発，駅伝，旅行，貿易，城門出入などの際に証明として用いられた。すでに戦国時代にはその存在が知られているが，漢の文帝後2年(前162)に銅虎符などがつくられて制度化された。銅虎符は銅制虎形の左右2片からなり，右片は朝廷，左片は地方官に与え，軍兵徴発の際に使者に右片を持たせて地方にやり，左片と合わせて真偽を知るものである。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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