Fu (Chinese: 符; pinyin: fúⓘ) was a tally, which was used as a proof of authorization in ancient China, which typically consists of two parts.

[3]: 83 [4] A toothed type of tally, called chang, was used in the Early Zhou dynasty; they were used by kings to verify the authenticity of the messages received.

The word hufu first appears in the biography of Lord Hsin-ling in the Records of the Grand Historian, where a stolen tiger tally is used to relieve the state of Zhao.

[5]: 97  It was through the tiger tally that the Emperors of China would authorize and delegate the power to his generals to command and dispatch an army.

[3]: 87  The tiger tally from the tomb of King Zhao Mo of Nanyue, however, was cast as a single piece.

[7]: 106  When used for ordinary contractual purposes, the fish tally was made of simpler materials, typically wood or bamboo.

[7]: 107 On the other hand, the Song dynasty painters, who had received favour, were allowed to wear yufu, which was a symbol of high-ranking officials and honour during this period.