History of the Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom/大勲位蘭花章

Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom [Grand Order of Orchid Flowers] /Ta Hsun Wei Lan Hua Chang or Dà Xūn Wèi Lánhuā Zhāng/ was established (together with orders of Illustrious Dragon and order of Auspicious Clouds) by Imperial Decree No. 7 on March 1, 1934 and described by Imperial Decree No. 27 on April 19, 1934.​


Imperial Decree /Edict/ No. 7

御名 御璽
康德元年三月一日

勅令第七號
國務總理大臣 鄭孝胥

勳章令

第一條 爲表彰對於國家著有勳績功勞者,賜以勳章。

第二條 勳章之種類及勳等另定之。

第三條 勳章限於本人配戴之,其子孫得保存之。

第四條 關於勳章之配戴繳還及褫奪另定之。

第五條 關於本令之施行有必要之規定,以院令定之。

附則

本令自康德元年三月一日施行。


Gyomei Gyoji /御名御璽 - Imperial Signature and Seal/ [lit. Signed and Sealed by Emperor]

March 1, 1st year of Kangde era = Match 1, 1934

Imperial Decree No. 7

Prime Minister Zheng Xiaoxu

Medals Decree

Article 1 To commend those who have made meritorious service to the country orders are awarded.

Article 2 The types and classes of orders shall be determined separately.

Article 3 The order can only be worn by the person himself and his descendants can keep it.

Article 4 The wearing, returning and revoking of orders shall be determined separately.

Article 5 Necessary provisions for the implementation of this decree shall be determined by Court order.

This decree comes into effect on March 1, the first year of Kangde era.



Imperial Decree /Edict/ No. 27 /with later addendums/


御名 御璽
康德元年四月十九日

勅令第二十七號
國務總理大臣 鄭孝胥

關於勳位及勳章之件

第一條 爲表彰對於國家著有功勞者,獎敘勳位、頒賜勳章。

第二條 勳位分爲九位,如左:

大勳位
勳一位
勳二位
勳三位
勳四位
勳五位
勳六位
勳七位
勳八位

第三條 勳章分爲大勳位蘭花章頸飾、大勳位蘭花大綬章、龍光大綬章、景雲章及柱國章。(康三·第一四號本條修正)

第四條 敘勳位時用獎敘狀。
大勳位及勳二位以上之敘勳狀經御署後鈐用國璽,勳三位以下敘勳狀用國璽,由國務總理大臣奉旨標明年月日,署名之。
敘勳狀按勳章之種別由總務廳人事處長於狀上載明“業經編號註冊在案”外,鈐用國務院印竝署名之。(康元·第一七八號、二·第一四七號、七·第四〇〇號本條中修正)

第五條 大勳位蘭花章頸飾對於已敘大勳位者依特旨頒賜之。大勳位蘭花大綬章對於獎敘大勳位者頒賜之。

第六條 龍光大綬章對於獎敘或已敘受勳一位者依特旨頒賜之。
景雲章及柱國章除獎敘勳一位而頒賜龍光大綬章者外,對於獎敘勳一位至勳八位者頒賜之。(康三·第一四二號本條中修正)

第七條 勳章之圖式以院令定之。

本令自公布日施行。


Gyomei Gyoji

April 19, 1st year of Kangde era = April 19, 1934

Imperial Decree No. 27

Prime Minister Zheng Xiaoxu

Regarding honors and orders

Article 1 To commend those who have made meritorious service to the country, honorary titles and orders will be awarded.

...

Article 3 Orders are divided into the Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom Collar, Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom Grand Gordon, Order of of the Illustrious Dragon, Order of the Auspicious Clouds and Order of the Pillars of the State (article was revised in 1936).

...

Article 5 The Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom Collar is awarded to those who have been awarded the Grand Gordon. Grand Gordon is awarded to those who have great merits.

...

Article 7 The pattern of the medal shall be determined by the Court order.

This order shall come into effect on the date of promulgation.



Original line drawings.

Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom original line drawings.jpg
Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom original  line drawings.jpg
Grand Order  of the Orchid Blossom original line drawings.jpg
 
Grand Order of the Orchid Blossom In all respects corresponds to the Japanese Order of the Chrysanthemum.

The Collar and Collar badge were made in gold. Collar composed of 21 medallions all connected by gold links in the form of Buddhist endless-knot designs.​

Japanese  Order of the Chrysanthemum.jpg


Eight medallions representing the Eight Auspicious Omens of Buddha, namely a lotus flower, a vase, two goldfish, an endless-knot, a conch shell, the wheel of the law, an umbrella, and a canopy; a further two medallions representing the first and last trigrams of the eight signs of the elements, both in green enamel within gold openwork cloud borders; all interspersed with ten gold spiraled cloud medallions within gold openwork cloud borders.​

The Grand Order of the Orchard  Blossom.jpg


The Grand Order of the Orchard Blossom.jpg


Large central medallion featuring an Illustrious Dragon on a blue enamel background within a gold openwork cloud border. Collar badge looks like a round jagged medallion of green enamel, on which a star of five narrow “petals” of yellow enamel is superimposed. A large pearl is fixed in the center of the star, between the "petals" there are golden stalks with fixed small pearls, five in each corner. On the reverse side of the badge there are four characters 大勲位章 - Grand Order of Merit.​

Japanese   Order of the Chrysanthemum.jpg


The Sash badge is of the same size and design as the Collar badge but made in gilded silver. Breast star is also made in silver.​

Order of the Orchard Blossom.jpg
 
Original description of miniature button rosette.

Miniature rosette.jpg
Miniature rosette.jpg
 
Number of Awards.

In his Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States, 3rd edition published in 2000 Peterson wrote

"As of 1941, the Collar had been received only by Emperor Pu Yi and Emperor Hirohito of Japan, and it is very doubtful that any others were awarded. From 1934 to 1940 there were only three awards of the Grand Cordon".

Orders & Medals  of Japan and  Associated States, by James W. Peterson.jpg


Both statements are false. As of today at least 3 collars (6 if we take into account collars of Hirohito, Pu Yi and Wang Jingwei, but their whereabouts are unknown) and 29 cavaliers of grand cordons are known.​
 
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    dà xūn wèi lánhuā zhāng grand order of the orchid blossom grand order of the orchid blossom breast star grand order of the orchid blossom collar manchukuo awards and decorations manchukuo grand order of the orchid blossom manchukuo highest award manchukuo highest order ta hsun wei lan hua chang 大勲位蘭花大綬章 大勲位蘭花章 大勲位蘭花章頸飾
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