Page 53 - Sothebys HK Dragon Emperor April 2024

Tiger tally (hufu), an ancient command token used for hence miraculously survived; they are now preserved in the
troop deployment, originated during the Eastern Zhou National Museum of China.
dynasty and stylistically harmonized during the Han and Qin The present tiger tally was also recorded in line drawing by
dynasties. Typically taking the shape of a tiger (hence its Luo in his seminal work Zengding Lidai fupai tulu [Addition
name, although it also adopted other animal forms during to the Catalogue of official symbols of credentials from
the Tang dynasty), the tally was carved with an inscription past dynasties]. In his foreword, he expressed his sense of
onto its body, and was then divided into two halves with responsibility to publish and document all tallies known to
complementary pins and notches. Generally, the right half him for the benefit of future antiquarians and epigraphers;
was kept in the emperor’s hand, whilst the other half was his foresight proved accurate, as his meticulous work laid
held by the commanding general stationed away from the the foundation for current academic research. For detailed
capital. To deploy a troop, a messenger had to bring the discussions on Northern Wei tiger tallies, see Ma Jianbin and
emperor’s half and combine the two segments. Only when Peng Weibin, ‘Essay on Tiger-Shaped Tallies of Northern Wei
the two halves were reunited could the accompanying Dynasty: A Reading Note’, Journal of National Museum of
military orders be executed, serving as an archaic encryption China, vol. 118, 2013(5), pp. 59-62, and Yang Guimei and Jia
and verification method to ensure the order’s legitimacy. Nan, ‘A Research on the tiger-shaped tallies of the Jin and
Additionally, the tiger tally symbolized the imperial authority the Southern and Northern dynasties’, Journal of National
bestowed upon the generals. Museum of China, vol. 238, 2023(5), pp. 56-76.
Due to their significance, tiger tallies were made in a carefully The journey of this tally is truly remarkable, spanning
calculated quantity, resulting in surviving examples being different historical periods and continents, the tally survived
few and far between. The present tally was first documented through both the tumultuous times of the Northern Wei
in 1925 by Luo Zhenyu (1866-1940), one of the great and, more than a millennium later, the early decades of
epigraphers and archaeological pioneers of modern China; the Republican period. It was dealt through the hands
it was reportedly unearthed the year prior in Guiren Village, of C.T. Loo and found its way to Europe, where it was
located about a hundred miles northeast of present-day treasured by the great collector David David-Weill, who
Datong, coinciding the location of the Northern Wei’s held a deep passion for Chinese archaic bronze and jade.
capital, Pingcheng, before its relocation to Luoyang. This From being a military token and a symbol of imperial
tally is inscribed on the spine with twelve characters reading authority, the tally transitioned to a vessel carrying cultural
Huangdi yu Yangqu Hujun tong hufu disan, which means the significance, providing insights into the antiquarian
emperor bestows this bronze tiger tally, numbered three, culture of 19th-century modern China. The traceable trail
upon the Protector of the Yangqu Army (see fig. 1 for the of provenance of this tally would not have been possible
historical mention of the location Yangqu). without the diligent documentation made by Luo, who was
According to historical records in the Book of Wei, two amongst the first to recognize the significance of archaic
specific individuals are mentioned to have held this materials and adamant about finding out the archaeological
esteemed title of Yangqu Hujun. One of them is Xu Qian 許謙 origins of each artefact he encountered. He was also an
(334-396), a formidable warrior, military general, and one of early advocate for the preservation of antiquities in public
the founding fathers of Northern Wei. He convinced Tuoba institutions, ensuring the enduring legacy of these artefacts.
Gui (the King of Wei when he was still a vassal of the Later Several tiger tallies that he preserved, such as the well-
Yan at the time) to proclaim himself emperor and initiate a known Warring States Bidafu hufu and the Qin dynasty
decisive counter-attack against the retreating forces of Later Yangling hufu, found their rightful place in Beijing Palace
Yan, ultimately conquering them in 397 and seizing most of Museum and National Museum of China.
their territory. This triumph marked the establishment of
the Northern Wei and earned Xu Qian the prestigious title
of Yangqu Hujun. The other individual who has held this
title is Xi Puhui 奚普回, a general hailing from a lineage of
military service and active during late 300s to early 400s.
This specific Hujun (‘Protector of the Army’) position was
established with the intention of governing the Hu minority
group.
Nine additional Norther Wei tallies have been documented,
but unfortunately, most of their current whereabouts have
become unknown. These tallies are significant as each of
them bears distinct inscriptions indicating the recipient
generals stationed in seven different locations and are
numbered from 1 to 5, providing valuable insight into the
military systems of the time. Seven of them were discovered
alongside the present tally: Boling Taishou (numbered
2), Liaoxi Taishou (indiscernible number), Shangdang
Taishou (numbered 3), Tujing Hujun (numbered 3), Lishi fig. 1. A historical map showing the location of the Northern Wei’s
Hujun (numbered 1, 3 and 4; numbered 4 likely being capital, Pingcheng, and the stations of the recipient generals
the same one dealt by C.T. Loo, later entering the Falk indicated by the tiger tallies, including Yanqu (marked in red). Original
Collection and subsequently sold at Christie’s New York, version of the map illustrated in ‘Song and Wei dynasties of China’,
16th October 2001, lot 184). Two, now widely exhibited, The Historical Atlas of China, Beijing, 1982-88.
Henei Taishou (numbered 3 and 5) were reputedly found 圖一 北魏中期都城平城、及各虎符所載諸地（陽曲屬肆州）示意圖
by villagers in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, in 1955, which were 地圖原版錄於《宋、魏時期全圖》，《中國歷史地圖集》，北京，
apparently mistakenly assumed to be valuable metal and 1982-88年

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