Item number: M296

Year: AD 1916

Material: Gold

Manufactured by: Tianjin Mint

Provenance:  Chang Ming-chuan Collection 2008

This is a gold commemorative medal issued between the 4th and 5th years of the Republic of China (AD 1915 to AD 1916) during the brief period when Yuan Shikai, then the powerful leader of the Beiyang Government, declared himself Emperor of the Empire of China under the influence of his son and close associates.

The obverse of the medal features a front-facing portrait of Yuan Shikai, dressed in a grand marshal’s ceremonial uniform and tall plumed hat. The subject’s eyes are vividly expressive, a hallmark of the skilled craftsmanship of Luigi Giorgi, an Italian engraver who had been serving at the Tianjin Mint since the late Qing dynasty. This commemorative medal is a rare signed edition, with the name of the engraver “L. Giorgi” inscribed on the right side.

This medal is catalogued under numbers 1115 or 1115A in the collection of the renowned cataloguer Lin Kuo-ming.

The reverse of the medal features a Western-style flying dragon motif. According to the recollections of the mint director, Li Boqi, this design was assigned to Tang, a disciple of Luigi Giorgi, who closely followed Giorgi’s style in sculpting the dragon steel die. The dragon used by Yuan Shikai during his reign combined the five-clawed dragon, symbolising Chinese imperial power, with Western-style wings, reflecting the increased technological and cultural exchange between East and West since the late Qing dynasty and the early Republic era—a nascent form of globalisation. The legends along the upper and lower edges of the dragon image denote the national title and era name adopted by Yuan Shikai during his brief reign, namely “Empire of China” and “Hongxian Era.”

According to scholarly research, the Empire of China Flying Dragon Gold Commemorative Medal was not an official issuance by the Tianjin Mint. Instead, it was privately reproduced by mint personnel using moulds from a silver commemorative medal, which were later even circulated in the United States. In AD 1921, the Philadelphia Mint recorded a commission to produce 22 gold medals and 50 silver medals using these moulds.

In the summer of the 4th year of the Republic of China (AD 1915), an advocacy group led by Yang Du, urged Yuan Shikai, the head of the Beiyang Government, to adopt a constitutional monarchy to end the turmoil brought about by the republican system. Yuan Shikai’s eldest son, Yuan Keding, even went so far as to forge newspapers purporting to show foreign powers’ support for his father’s ascension to the throne. On December 12 of that year, Yuan Shikai officially proclaimed himself Emperor under the era name Hongxian in Beijing, changing the country’s name to the Empire of China.

However, Yuan failed to secure the backing of foreign powers and the southern warlords. Additionally, key Beiyang generals, including Duan Qirui, expressed opposition to his enthronement. On March 22 of the following year, Yuan Shikai was forced to abandon the imperial title and restore the republic. He died shortly thereafter on June 6, due to uraemia, having reigned as emperor for a mere 102 days.

物件編號: M296

年代: 公元 1916 年

材質: 黃金

來源: 張明泉舊藏 2008

這是一枚民國4至5年(公元1915至1916年)間，統領北洋政府權傾一時的袁世凱在兒子和親信唆使之下，改國號為中華帝國所發行的金質紀念章。

獎章正面是穿著大元帥禮服和高帽纓的袁世凱正面肖像。人物的眼神炯炯有神，此乃自清末於天津造幣廠服務的義籍雕模師魯喬奇得意之作。此紀念章在右側更刻有雕模師名字「L. GIORGI」為罕見的簽名版。

這枚獎章在知名編目家林國明收藏編號中，編號為1115或1115A。

獎章背面的西洋風格飛龍圖案，按照廠長李伯琦回憶是交付臨摹魯喬奇最像的唐姓弟子，由他負責雕塑背面的飛龍鋼模。袁世凱稱帝使用的飛龍，結合中國象徵帝王的五爪龍和西式風格的翅膀，某方面呼應清末民初以來，東西雙方更加密切的技術和文化交流，即全球化的雛形。飛龍圖像的上下緣則鐫刻袁世凱稱帝使用的國號和帝號，分別為「中華帝國」和「洪憲紀年」。

根據學者查證，中華帝國飛龍金質紀念章並非由天津造幣廠正式發行。而是廠內人員私下以銀質紀念章的模具翻模兜售，模具後來甚至流落至美國。公元1921年，費城造幣廠還留有受他人委託，製造22枚金質章和50枚銀章的紀錄。

民國4年(公元1915年)夏，楊度為首的倡議者組織「籌安會」鼓吹北洋政府當家袁世凱，應採取君主立憲以結束共和制帶來的紛擾。大公子袁克定還偽造列強支持稱帝的假報紙慫恿父親稱帝。當年12月12日，袁世凱正式在北京以洪憲稱帝，改國號為中華帝國。然而袁世凱沒得到列強和南方軍閥支持，麾下段祺瑞等北洋將領對稱帝也表達反對。隔年3月22日，袁世凱只能黯然取消稱帝將國體改回共和，不久於6月6日因尿毒症病逝，僅稱帝前後共計102日。