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Order of the Rising Sun, 7th class
(Green paulownia leaf, mirrored reverse)
勳七等旭日章
(青色桐葉,背鏡面)
Item number: M98
Year: AD 1875-2003
Material: Silver and Enamel
Size: Case 95.36 x 59.75 x 25.71 / Order 31.14 x 34.14/ Ribbon 37.05 x 35.27 mm
Weight: Case 75.8 / Order 19.7 g
Provenance: Quan Jian Zhai 2022
In September of the fourth year of the Meiji era(AD 1871), the new government after the Meiji Restoration, as part of its comprehensive reform initiatives, instructed the legislative body responsible for various institutional recommendations at the time, known as the”左院 (Council of the Left)” to deliberate on the system of decorations. Subsequently, in the sixth year of the Meiji era(AD 1873), based on the Council of the Left’s recommendations, five individuals, including the second-class councilor Junjiro Hosokawa, were appointed as “メダイユ取調御用掛 (Medal Investigation Committee)” to investigate orders. The Medal Investigation Committee, led by the third-class councilor Daigyoken Tsunetaka (later the head of the Medal Bureau), who had also been involved in studying order systems during the time of the former shogunate’s army administration, conducted research on order systems in Western European countries to establish a order system in Japan. In April of the eighth year of Meiji(AD 1875), they announced the “Matter of Establishing Decorations and Commemorative Medals” (Imperial Edict No. 54). This laid the foundation for the current Order of the Rising Sun and marked the inception of the Japanese medal system. Subsequently, in the ninth year of Meiji(AD 1876), the Order of Chrysanthemum was established, followed by the Order of the Sacred Treasure and the Order of the Precious Crown in the twenty-first year of Meiji(AD 1888), and the Order of Culture in the twelfth year of Showa(AD 1937).
The awarding of orders to survivors was temporarily suspended after world war 2. However, starting in the spring of the thirty-ninth year of Showa(AD 1964), it resumed as the 春秋叙勲 (Spring and Autumn Order) were reintroduced. Japan’s system of honors, as a significant mechanism for recognizing contributions to the country or public service, and outstanding behavior in various fields of society, has been deeply rooted and confronted the changing socio-economic conditions of the twenty-first century. To address this, the government reevaluated the system of honors, transitioning from the awarding of decorations and commendations in the autumn of the fifteenth year of Heisei(AD 2003) to the current system.
This order belongs to the seventh class of the Order of the Rising Sun, presented in the form of a paulownia leaf with green enamel and red enameled flowers.
The Order of the Rising Sun, established on April 10, AD 1875 (Meiji 8), served as Japan’s initial medal, with eight grades ranging from the first class to the eighth class. The following year, in AD 1876 (Meiji 9), a higher rank, the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, was introduced above the Order of the Rising Sun, and in AD 1888 (Meiji 21), an additional higher rank, the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, was established. In the AD 2003 (Heisei 15) reformation of the honors system, the Order of the Rising Sun was streamlined to six grades, with the abolition of the seventh and eighth classes. Additionally, since its establishment, the conferment of the Order of the Rising Sun was originally limited to males; however, with this reform, it became a medal awarded without gender distinction.
The obverse of this order features the coat of arms of the Japanese government which is also a secondary coat of arms of the imperial family. It mimics the leaves of the paulownia tree and incorporates the design with five three-petaled flowers. The reverse side is inscribed with”勳功旌章 (Order of Merit).” In accordance with the enamel on the reverse side, a distinction can be made for the Second World War; the medals from pre-war and wartime periods have enamel on the reverse side, while those from the post-war period lack it, featuring a mirrored surface on the reverse. Based on the mirrored reverse, it can be inferred that this order belongs to the post-war period.
物件編號: M98
年代: 公元 1875-2003 年
材質: 銀, 琺琅
尺寸: 盒 95.36 x 59.75 x 25.71/勳章 31.14 x 34.14 / 綬帶 37.05 x 35.27 mm