Item number: M423

Year: AD 1889-1907

Material: Gold

Size: 29.2 x 49.8 x 1.7 mm

Weight: 11.05 g

Provenance: Spink 2023

This piece is a miniature version of the third-class Kim khánh awarded exclusively to men during the reign of Thành Thái, the tenth emperor of the Nguyễn dynasty, who ruled between AD 1889 and 1907.

The Kim khánh takes the form of a traditional Vietnamese ritual percussion instrument, resembling a bat or butterfly with outspread wings and bordered by curvilinear scrolls. The obverse bears the inscription “Thành Thái sắc tứ”, indicating that it was an official bestowal by Emperor Thành Thái. The reverse reads “Lao năng khả thưởng”, expressing that the recipient’s talent and diligence merited commendation.

At its upper end, the gold plaque is suspended by a red cord, allowing it to be worn around the neck or attached to the wearer’s garment; during periods of mourning, a green cord was used instead. When worn, the cord might also be adorned with strings of beads or other pendants. Beneath the plaque is a finely crafted decorative knot and four tassels in green, red, and purple.

Although the khánh was occasionally awarded under earlier Nguyễn rulers, it was not institutionalised, and earlier pieces were probably kept as collectibles rather than worn. During the reign of Thành Thái, the award gradually became standardised into either a four-class or three-class system. The special and first classes bore the inscription “Báo nghĩa thù huân” (repaying righteousness and rewarding merit); the second class carried “Gia thiện sanh năng” (praising virtue and ability); and the third class used “Lao năng khả thưởng” (rewarding labour and talent). The ornamentation and tassel form were also progressively fixed, with the decorative motifs shifting towards imperial dragon patterns emphasising royal authority.

In AD 1907, Emperor Thành Thái, dissatisfied with French interference in his authority to appoint officials, was deposed by the French, who installed his seven-year-old son Duy Tân as the new ruler. As Duy Tân grew older, his discontent with French dominance in Vietnam intensified. In AD 1916, the revolutionary organisation Quang Phục Hội secretly contacted Duy Tân, planning to exploit France’s distraction during the First World War and the reluctance of Vietnamese soldiers to be deployed to Europe to launch an uprising. Duy Tân expressed support, but the rebellion ultimately failed. Refusing to remain a puppet of the French, he abdicated and was exiled together with his father Thành Thái to Réunion, a French colony in the Indian Ocean.

During his exile on Réunion, Duy Tân refused financial assistance from the French authorities, instead supporting himself by repairing radios. He later taught himself foreign languages and enrolled in a law school. In AD 1942, during the Second World War, he joined the Free French forces and served in the Free French Navy, in which he attained the rank of lieutenant commander by the war’s end. Meanwhile, Bảo Đại, who had cooperated with the Japanese during the war, was forced to abdicate by Hồ Chí Minh’s Việt Minh. The French government under Charles de Gaulle hoped to restore Duy Tân to the throne to bolster French influence in Vietnam. However, the transport aircraft carrying him back to Vietnam crashed in Central Africa, and Duy Tân died at the age of 45.

物件編號: M423

年代: 公元 1889-1907 年

材質: 黃金

尺寸: 29.2 x 49.8 x 1.7 mm

重量: 11.05 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這是一枚越南阮朝第10任皇帝，成泰帝統治年間(公元1889至1907年)，專門頒發給男性的迷你版「金磬」，為第三等。

金磬外觀為傳統越南的禮儀敲擊樂器，形似展翅的蝙蝠或蝴蝶，邊緣飾以卷草紋。正面為「成泰敕賜」，意為此乃成泰帝的正式獎賞。背面為「劳能可獎」，意為獲頒者的才華和努力足以得到獎勵。

金佩頂端以一條紅線穿繫，供得獎者穿掛於脖子或是繫在衣襟上，喪服期間則使用綠線佩帶。佩帶時繩線可能會串有串珠或其他垂飾一同佩帶。磬的下方則有一套精細的花結以及綠色、紅色和紫色四條流蘇。

越南阮朝傳統的獎賞制度上，「磬」的賞賜雖然時有，但並未制度化。且早期可能多用於收藏，較少佩帶。成泰年間逐漸固定為四等制或三等制，特等及一等面文為「報義酬勳」，二等面文為「嘉善旌能」，三等面文為「勞能可獎」。並將紋飾與流蘇款式逐漸確定，紋飾轉為強調皇權的龍紋。

公元1907年，成泰帝不滿法國人干涉其任命官員的權力，遭到法國人罷黜並改立其年僅七歲的兒子維新帝成為新統治者。然而維新帝成年之後，對於法國人在越南的跋扈行為不滿日益增加。恰巧公元1916年，越南反抗組織光復會秘密連繫到維新帝，決定利用法國投身第一次世界大戰無暇關注越南和越南籍士兵不想派駐歐洲的情緒發動起義，維新帝表達支持但是起義最終失敗。起義失敗後，維新帝不甘擔任法國人的魁儡決定退位，後續隨同父親成泰帝一同被流放到法國於印度洋的殖民地留尼旺島。

維新帝於留尼旺島流亡期間，拒絕法國政府的援助，以修理收音機維持生計後續更自學外語和考取法律學校。公元1942年，第二次世界大戰期間，維新帝選擇投靠自由法國陣營，並且加入自由法國海軍在終戰時成為中校軍銜。同一時間，第二次世界大戰期間選擇跟日本人合作的保大帝遭到胡志明為首的越盟反對被迫退位，法國戴高樂政權希望維新帝返回越南延續法國的影響力，然而載運維新帝歸國的運輸機在中非遭遇空難，維新帝不幸罹難享年僅45歲。