The Red Cross Society of China was founded as the Shanghai International Red Cross Committee /a.k.a. Shanghai Cosmopolitan Red Cross or Shanghai International Red Cross/ on March 10, 1904, during the Russo-Japanese War. The founders were a group of Chinese business and political leaders, led by Shanghai tea merchant Shen Dunhe. Shen chose to use the Red Cross aegis for his group because the neutrality provided by the Red Cross symbol allowed Chinese relief teams into the Manchurian war zones to aid Chinese civilians caught in the conflict between Japan and Russia. Shen created a Red Cross organization made up of wealthy Chinese and prominent Westerners living in China.
After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the Chinese Red Cross expanded exponentially, now providing peacetime relief as well. There was no shortage of natural disasters in China for the new group to work on. Floods, famine and fire were endemic in the first half of China's 20th century, along with the outbreak of civil war. The Society opened Red Cross hospitals in Shanghai and in other cities, while local Red Cross chapters blossomed throughout the country, staffed and funded by Chinese eager to participate in patriotic activities, particularly as part of an organization with international connections and an aura of "modernity". By the 1920s, there were over 300 Red Cross chapters in China.
The International Committee of the Red Cross recognized the Red Cross Society of China in 1912 after the establishment of the Republic of China. The Red Cross Society of China formally joined the International Federation in 1919 and was one of the first members.
After the end of the Russo-Japanese War, the Chinese Red Cross expanded exponentially, now providing peacetime relief as well. There was no shortage of natural disasters in China for the new group to work on. Floods, famine and fire were endemic in the first half of China's 20th century, along with the outbreak of civil war. The Society opened Red Cross hospitals in Shanghai and in other cities, while local Red Cross chapters blossomed throughout the country, staffed and funded by Chinese eager to participate in patriotic activities, particularly as part of an organization with international connections and an aura of "modernity". By the 1920s, there were over 300 Red Cross chapters in China.
The International Committee of the Red Cross recognized the Red Cross Society of China in 1912 after the establishment of the Republic of China. The Red Cross Society of China formally joined the International Federation in 1919 and was one of the first members.
Gold, enamel.
Width 72 mm.
Weight 88.94 g.
Obverse
Two crossed flag of the Qing dynasty /this first national flag of China was adopted in 1889 featuring the Azure Dragon on a plain yellow field with the red flaming pearl in the upper left corner. On January 10, 1912, the Yellow Dragon Flag was replaced by the Five-Colored Flag/.
reverse engraved
上海万國红十字會 - Shanghai International Red Cross Committee
董華 = 华董 - Board Member