Figure 28: Type 1 Rectangular Badge

Figure 29: Type 1 Curved Octagonal Scroll Badge

Figure 30: Miniature of Type 1 Oval Badge

Figure 31: Gong Pai / Merit Badge

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This wearing method contradicts the common belief that the five-pointed star should be a sash badge only. Indeed, with the design of a tie ring at its top, the five-pointed star is very suitable for wearing with a cravat. This is why this five-pointed star is mentioned as a sash / neck badge in this article. However, the provision of only the fringed maroon sash in the 2nd Class 3rd Grade set detailed previously indicates that the wearing of the five- pointed star around the neck, though a very common practice, might not have been officially sanctioned. Certainly, further research on the sashes, cravats and ribbons and the subsequent wearing methods of the PSDD is required.

Questions Behind and Research Ahead

As pointed out in the opening paragraph of this article, the purpose of this article is to open up discussion by establishing a new departure point for future research. The emergence of new specimens of the PSDD, particularly 1st Class and 5th Class awards, sash/neck badges, sashes, cravats and ribbons would certainly bridge the gap left by this article regarding the full outline of all 2nd type awards of the PSDD. Nevertheless, it must be emphasized that there remains the following questions or areas which require further research and exploration:

Official Records, Regulations, Sketches

and Certificates of the PSDD

It has been reported that there were Manchu documents, perhaps as an appendix to regulations or PSDD manufacturer’s guidelines, containing sketches of the PSDD. In addition, it has also been reported that PSDD awards of 1st Class 3rd Grade or lower were accompanied by certificates issued by the Manchu Government. All these documents or sketches are important to future research on the PSDD.

Manufacturers and Various Types of the PSDD

As mentioned previously, there are at least two types of the PSDD. While the focus of this article is on the 2nd type only, study of the 1 st type is also needed. Attached are some photographs of the existing specimens of the 1st type PSDD awards. Without going into details, the ist type had the design of a rectangular badge for the 1st Class (Figure 28), a curved octagonal scroll badge for the 2nd Class (Figure 29) and an oval badge for the 3rd Class (Figure 30). Except for the Manchu inscriptions, the designs of the two types are very different from each other. The 1st type was most probably

a transition from the Chinese to the western style. The outstanding question is on the date and the development of the change from the 1st type to the 2nd type. Nevertheless, keeping in mind that variation samples do exist and different manufacturers might produce different versions of the PSDD, further research on the different PSDD manufacturers, both in China and overseas, is also required. Indeed, when some authors point out that there should be a transitional type of PSDD, there is a possibility that these transitional types of PSDD were simply manufacturer’s samples.

The Order of the Button

A. A. Payne, the well-known medal collector in the early 20th century, reported the existence of the Chinese Order of the Button that was instituted by the Chinese Government for the purpose of rewarding foreigners. According to Payne, "The color of the ball, or button, denotes the grade of the Order, and there appears to be four classes, viz., red for the 1st class, blue for the 2nd, green for the 3rd and white for the 4th." The descriptions of two examples of this order are:

Obverse - in the center, a crystal ball that revolves on an axis; around, the Imperial Arms (two dragons). Reverse - Chinese characters. A round, thick silver medal, 1.3 inches in diameter, with a plain double border, with a loop and ring for suspension above, and a loop below.

2~ Obverse - in the center, a crystal ball, fixed by serrations, having a dragon on each side, within an ornamental border. Reverse - also within an ornamental border, Chinese characters, an inverted bat below. A flat round silver medal, 1.55 inches in diameter, with a scroll loop above for suspension, and another below to which are attached two green tassels tied with gold at the top. Attributed to Corporal Henry Fagg, 67th Regiment.

The Emperor of China conferred this decoration on a few English officers and men of the 67th Regiment for services against the rebels at Vi-Shun, 70 miles south of Pekin, in 1862, and for drilling the Chinese troops in European tactics.

It is not known if this Order of the Button was actually the first specimens of Bao Xing awards manufactured

12 JOMSA

by Chong Hou. However, due to the similarity of historical backgrounds and specifications of these two items, there is a good chance that the two items are identical. Should this be the case, when additional specimens of the Chinese Order of Button surface in the future, the question of the development and the changing designs of Bao Xing produced between 1860s and 1900s would likely be resolved.

Gong Pai, i.e., Merit Badge of Chinese style

In the Manchu Dynasty, the Gong Pai was directly related to the promotion and reward of officials. Under the description in "The History of the Chinese Military Systems," there were different classes of Gong Pai. Rather than taking the design of a western medal, a Manchu Gong Pai was designed as a seal. It was awarded according to the degree of merit achieved by an individual soldier. For example, for the first three officers /soldiers who broke through the enemy’s defense line, the first one would be awarded the Tou Deng Gong Pai, i.e., ’lst Class Merit Badge’ in Chinese, and 100 taels of silver; the second one would be awarded the Er Deng Gong Pai, i.e., ’2nd Class Merit Badge’ in Chinese, and 80 taels of silver; and the third one would be awarded with the San Deng Gong Pai, i.e., ’3rd Class Merit Badge’ in Chinese, and 60 taels of silver. The receipt of merit badges was also cumulative, leading to a promotion to higher rank.

The Manchu Government adopted the award of Gong Pai in dealing with foreigners at the beginning. For instance, in the case of Charles George Gordon, he was awarded with the Tou Deng Gong Pai by the Manchu Government under the recommendation of Li Hung- zhang. However, realizing that this award did not receive a warm welcome from foreigners, the Manchu Government eventually turned to the award of Bao Xing, i.e., a medal or order of western style.

With the institution of the PSDD in the early 1880s, since the PSDD was awarded to foreigners only until the late 1900s, the Manchu Government continued to award Gong Pai to Manchu officials and non-foreigners. From this emerges the question of how to distinguish between the Gong Pai and PSDD. Figure 30 shows a Gong Pai (the two blue Chinese characters at the center are exactly the Chinese words of Gong Pai, i.e., literally ’merit badge’ in Chinese) with the same shape as the sash / neck badge of the 2nd Class 3rd Grade PSDD (2nd type). Although it is a bit smaller, it has exactly the same specifications of the sash/neck badge of the PSDD, except that it has two blue enameled Chinese words at the center.

Without any support, the source of this merit badge claimed that it was awarded to a German soldier who assisted in the training of the Imperial Army in China. Should this be true, this German was likely under the supervision of Constantin von Hanneken who was responsible for the training of the Imperial Army in 1880s, and this badge infers that the design of Gong Pai may have been adopted for the 2nd type PSDD. On the contrary, if the manufacture of this merit badge was later than the 2nd type PSDD, then it suggests the reverse, i.e., the design of the PSDD was adopted for the Gong Pai. Further research on the chronological relationship between the PSDD and Gong Pai is therefore required.

Conclusions

The Order of the Precious Star of Double Dragon, as the first western style Chinese order, has a significant position in the history of China as well as the world. Its origin and its development reflect the course of world history and the interactions when the east meets the west. Due to the shortage of historical records and existing specimens, the task of research is a painstaking as well as rewarding challenge. By giving a comprehensive view on the background, award criteria, specifications, meanings of the Chinese and Manchu inscriptions, analysis of the existing specimens and variation samples, wearing methods and outstanding questions about the PSDD, this article will establish a new departure point for more research on the subject.

Acknowledgements

Appreciation is expressed towards Mr. Christopher Ng for technical assistance, Mr. Kenny Chung for his invaluable contribution in the photographing of the PSDD specimens and Mr. Bruno Ma for lending me his copy of the photograph of General Wu Lu-zhen.

Bibliography

Burt,, A.R., Powell, J.B., and Crow, Carl, Biographies of Prominent

Chinese, Biographical Publishing Company, Shanghai, c. 1925. Catalogue of Medals and Orders of the Republic of China (Revised

Edition), 3rd Bureau, President’s Office, Taiwan, China, 1983 (in Chinese).

Chen, Gao-hua (Chief Editor), The History of Chinese Military

Systems Systems, Elephant Publishing House, People’s Republic

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China, Hai Chao Publishing House, People’s Republic of China, !992 (in Chinese).

Dickinson, Gary, & Wrigglesworth, Linda, Imperial Wardrobe

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Dictionary, Xinjiang People’s Publishing House, People’s Republic

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