Paiza
From Mongol Studies Online Reference
The paiza was an iconic institution throughout the areas under Mongol control; however, it is believed to have originally been a Chinese invention.[1] The paiza is defined as a “tablet of authority”[2] that was issued by governing authorities in the Mongol domains starting with the reign of Chingis Khan (r.1206-1227).[3] The paiza was a roughly circular metal tablet that contained writing which endowed its wearer with varying degrees of authority depending on their station and the level of the paiza (which was indicated by the material from which the tablet was made). It could also serve as a passport for dignitaries on state business.[4] The paiza not only allowed its wearer safe passage through Mongol-held territory, but also allowed for the requisitioning of supplies from local populations.[5] It was often issued to its bearer with a yarliq, or official decree[6] that allowed the recipient to wear a paiza and explained why it had been given.[7]
[edit] References
- ↑ “Mongol Passport.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. October 2006. 10 December 2007. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hod_1993.256.htm.
- ↑ Saunders, J.J. The History of the Mongol Conquests. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1971. xi
- ↑ Atwood, Christopher P. “Paiza.” Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire. Ed. Christopher P. Atwood. 1 Vol. New York, Facts on File, 2004. 433.
- ↑ “Mongol Passport.”
- ↑ Atwood, 433.
- ↑ Saunders, xi.
- ↑ Atwood, 433.
[edit] External Links
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hod_1993.256.htm - contains an explanation of the paiza as well as an example.
