This is a gold Medal of Merit manufactured between AD 1861 and AD 1862. In France, this medal is known as the “Medal of Tai-Ping,” reflecting its association with the Taiping Rebellion. The Medal of Merit comes in gold and silver, and this piece is made of gold.
The medal is designed in the style of traditional Chinese coins, featuring a circular shape with a square hole in the centre. The surface is covered with numerous small raised granules. The obverse of the medal depicts two Chinese dragons symmetrically facing each other and gazing at a dragon pearl, representing the traditional Chinese auspicious motif “Dragons Playing With a Pearl”. The reverse side bears the Chinese characters “獎武功牌” (Medal of Merit).
The medal features a suspension, designed in the shape of a laurel leaf curve. The suspension is similar in design to contemporary British medals, suggesting that it may have been produced by a British jeweller. Interestingly, however, most of the recipients of this medal were French.
In the 10th year of the Xianfeng era (AD 1860), the Taiping Rebellion, which had swept across southern China for a decade and established its capital in Nanjing, launched an offencive against Shanghai, where foreign concessions were located. In response to the formidable Taiping forces, foreign volunteers formed the “Ever Victorious Army” to assist the Qing army in combat. As the Huai Army, led by Li Hongzhang, and the Xiang Army, led by Zuo Zongtang, began their counteroffensive, foreign individuals further contributed as advisors, training the troops or even fighting on the front lines.
Many foreign individuals distinguished themselves in battle and even sacrificed their lives. In response, the Qing government began to take notice of the need to reward these foreign contributors. In addition to the traditional rewards such as the feather plume, the yellow riding jacket, and paper certificates of merit, the Qing government started to consider adopting Western-style medals, like those in Europe. This ultimately led to the creation of the Qing Empire’s first Western-style medal, the “Order of the button.”
This medal was awarded to Léopold Augustin Charles Pallu de la Barrière, who held the rank of Rear Admiral in the French Navy. In AD 1850, at the age of 22, Léopold participated in the Crimean War as a lieutenant. In AD 1860, he took part in the Second Opium War and French operations in Indochina, with his reports published under the title “Journal of the Expedition to China.” Subsequently, Léopold assisted the Qing government in suppressing the Taiping Rebellion and served as the Governor of French Caledonia. He retired in AD 1890 with the rank of Rear Admiral and passed away the following year.
The Medal of Military Merit is not documented in official records of the Qing government. The most reasonable speculation is that foreign nationals, having received verification of their achievements from the Qing court in the form of paper certificates, commissioned European jewellers to design and manufacture the medal. The appearance of this medal is noted in the early 20th century on trading cards from the renowned French chocolate firm Guérin-Boutron’s series of medals. The card featuring the Medal of Military Merit is referred to as the Order of the Dragon, embellished with an imagined scene of an audience with the Chinese emperor.
獎武功牌並未記載於清政府的官方紀錄中，最為合理的推測是，外籍人士獲得清廷驗證的紙本功牌後，返國委託歐洲的珠寶商設計和製造。這枚獎章的身影出現在公元20世紀初，知名法國巧克力商Guérin-Boutron的獎章系列貿易卡。卡片中的獎武功牌被稱作「Ordre du Dragon」(龍之勳章)，並且飾以謁見中國皇帝的想像場景。
