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Khai Dinh Bao Jian
(Full Size)
啟定寶鑑 (官方版)
Item number: M139
Year: AD 1916-1925
Material: Silver
Size: 33.7 x 33.7 x 2.2 mm
Weight: 12.25 g
Provenance: Spink 2023
This is a silver medal named “Khai Dinh Bao Jian,” awarded during the reign of Emperor Khai Dinh of the Nguyen Dynasty in Vietnam, between AD 1916 and AD 1925, a period when Vietnam was under French colonial rule as a puppet regime. The medal is circular in shape, with the four Chinese characters “Khai Dinh Bao Jian” engraved on the obverse side in the order of “top, bottom, right, left.” “Khai Dinh” refers to the emperor’s regnal era, while “Bao Jian” historically signifies the moon or a mirror in ancient China. Later, it was extended to denote a medal or treasure, indicating the profound influence of Chinese culture on Vietnam. In the centre of the obverse side is a sun motif, adorned with nine round beads on the flames. The reverse side of the medal features a five-clawed dragon, symbolisingthe emperor.
The medal “Khai Dinh Bao Jian” features holes on the upper and lower edges, intended for attaching tassells or other medals.Its appearance closely resembles that of a coin, leading to its local designation in Vietnam as “Tien,” while the French referred to it as the “Coin of Honour.” Prior to the Nguyen Dynasty’s rule in Vietnam, there may have been a similar system of medals, but precise records were lacking. It wasn’t until AD 1840 when the French arrived in Vietnam that Europeans first documented the Nguyen Dynasty’s court in Hue having a system of awards and decorations resembling those in the Western world.
During the Nguyen Dynasty, the court would cast gold and silver into “Tiens” as honorary rewards or appeasements for civil and military officials. In addition to this, on special occasions such as the New Year, the Elder Worshipping Festival, or the emperor’s 50th, 60th, and 70th birthdays, “Tien” would also be awarded as commemorative and reward tokens. Recipients could wear them by threading a rope through the hole of the “Tien,” often adorned with tassells at the bottom.
Based on the metal material, one can roughly determine the rank of the “Tien.” The highest rank, known as “Kim Tien” (Gold Tien), has four levels. In the early period of the Nguyen Dynasty, they were made of real gold, but later they gradually shifted to gold plating or basic metals. The next level, “Ngan Tien” (Silver Tien), sometimes follows European practises by indicating rank differences, but many “Silver Tiens” mainly display the regnal year of the emperor without specific rank distinctions.
In AD 1916, Nguyen Phuc Tuan ascended to the throne of the Nguyen Dynasty with the regnal name “Khai Dinh,” appointed by the French to replace his predecessor, Emperor Duy Tan, who sought to overthrow colonial rule. During Khai Dinh’s reign, he organised the last imperial examination in Vietnamese history and became the first Vietnamese emperor to visit Europe in AD 1922. However, in the eyes of Vietnamese nationalists, Khai Dinh was seen merely as a puppet of the French. Tragically, Khai Dinh passed away in AD 1925 at the age of 40 due to tuberculosis, having been frail and in poor health since childhood.