Item number: M481

Year: AD 1925-1943

Material: Copper

The results after XRF testing

Size: 25.7 x 23.1 x 2.2 mm

Weight: 5.95 g

Provenance: Private Collector, USA, 2025

This medal constitutes a private or regimental issue of the Italian Marine Force in China commemorative medal.

The obverse features a high-relief depiction of the winged ‘Lion of Saint Mark’ at its centre, adorned with a halo above its head and holding an open codex within its forepaws. The pages are inscribed with the traditional Latin motto of the Republic of Venice, “PAX TIBI MAR CE / EVAN GELI STA MEVS”, meaning “Peace be with thee, O Mark, my evangelist”. The wings and talons of the lion are rendered with pronounced three-dimensionality, conveying a powerful imagery of military power projection. Surrounding the central motif on the outer band, the upper section is circumscribed with the Latin inscription “MECVM MEA GLORIA” (My glory is with me), whilst the lower section bears the Italian text “BATTAGº. ITALIANO IN CINA”, literally translating to “Italian Battalion in China”. The overall form exhibits a slightly irregular polygonal silhouette, incorporating an integral suspension loop at the apex to facilitate ribbon attachment. The primary material consists of a substantial, heavy-gauge red copper or bronze.

The centre of the reverse displays a traditional Chinese frontal coiled dragon, with the dragon head positioned centrally and eyes wide open in the act of chasing a flaming pearl. The body is convoluted with well-defined, layered scales, all set against a background of auspicious cloud patterns typical of the Qing Dynasty. Beneath the dragon motif, five Chinese characters, “駐華義海軍” (Italian Naval Force Stationed in China), are incised horizontally from right to left.

In AD 1900 January, as the anti-foreign Boxer Movement in North China progressively deteriorated and proliferated, foreign ambassadors, including that of Italy, expressed their concerns to the Qing Empire; however, the situation showed no signs of de-escalation. As chronology advanced into June, the Boxers formally launched assaults on foreign strongholds in Peking. Twenty-eight Italian sailors and one officer were besieged within the Legation Quarter, contributing a one-pounder quick-firing gun—the most formidable piece of artillery available—to bolster the defensive lines. Concurrently, at the Xishiku Catholic Church (the North Cathedral) located in the western district of Peking, thirty-eight Italian sailors protected the priests and Chinese Christian converts.

On 10 June, amongst the initial column of relief forces departing from Tientsin under the command of the British General Seymour, Italy contributed forty-two sailors hastily assembled from the torpedo cruiser Calabria. Nonetheless, on 26 June, having sustained considerable casualties, the Seymour Expedition was compelled to retreat to Tientsin, a operation that cost Italy five lives in action. On 19 June, during the engagements to secure control over Tientsin, Sub-Lieutenant Carlotto was killed whilst commanding twenty Italian sailors; this incident galvanized domestic public opinion, prompting the government to organize an expeditionary corps. On 5 July, the government ordered the mobilization of an expeditionary force comprising eighty-three officers and 1,882 enlisted men, which did not arrive in China until 29 August. However, as early as 14 August, the second relief column led by the British General Gaselee, which included fifty-three Italian sailors, had already successfully liberated the foreigners besieged in Peking.

Following the stabilization of the crisis, the Italian Expeditionary Corps maintained a garrison in China until its withdrawal commenced in AD 1901 August, with the final personnel returning home four years later. Consequently, through the Boxer Protocol, Italy acquired a concession in Tientsin, which served as its sole foothold in Asia. The Italian Concession in Tientsin was maintained until AD 1943; following the Italian armistice concluded with the Allied Powers, Japanese forces—hitherto fellow Axis partners—occupied the concession and subsequently transferred it to the Japanese-sponsored Wang Jingwei regime, thereby concluding Italian colonial activities in China.

物件編號: M481

年代: 公元 1925-1943 年

材質: 銅

XRF分析結果

尺寸: 25.7 x 23.1 x 2.2 mm

重量: 5.95 g

來源: 美國私人收藏 2025

此枚獎章為一枚私人或軍團級發行的義大利駐華義海軍紀念獎章。

正面中央為高浮雕呈現的帶翼「聖馬可飛獅」，其頭頂帶有光環，前爪抱著一本打開的法典，書頁上刻有威尼斯共和國的傳統拉丁文座右銘「PAX TIBI MAR CE / EVAN GELI STA MEVS」，意為「願平安與你同在，馬可，我的傳教士」。飛獅的羽翼與利爪刻畫得極具立體感，展現出強烈的武力投射意象。在外圈部分，上半部環繞著拉丁文銘文「MECVM MEA GLORIA」（我的榮耀與我同在），下半部則刻有義大利文「BATTAGe. ITALIANO IN CINA」，字面意思即為「義大利駐華營」。整體形制略呈不規則的多邊形輪廓，頂部設有原生的掛環孔，便於穿過綬帶佩戴，整體材質為質地厚實的紅銅。

獎章的背面中央為一條傳統的中國正面團龍，龍首居中、雙目圓睜，作戲珠狀，身軀盤繞且鱗片層次分明，四周則襯以清代常見的祥雲紋樣，基本上設計來自「光緒元寶」銀幣。在龍紋下方，由右至左橫排刻有「駐華義海軍」五個漢字。

十九世紀末的國際衝突。當時國力日衰的大清帝國被迫簽署一連串不平等條約，允許西方列強設立租界，激發了排外的義和團運動。公元1900年6月，義和團圍攻北京使館區，義大利皇家海軍隨即派兵登陸參戰，其中海軍少尉埃爾曼諾·卡洛托在天津不幸殉職，此事震動義大利國內，促使羅馬政府派遣兩千五百多名官兵組建「義大利遣華遠征軍」加入八國聯軍。雖然遠征軍於八月底抵達華北時北京已被聯軍攻克，義軍僅參與了後續的次要掃蕩行動，但義大利仍藉由公元1901年的《辛丑條約》獲得了在天津設立租界及在北京、上海派駐軍隊的特權，主力部隊隨後於公園1905年以前陸續遣返，改由常態化的海軍水兵與憲兵留守防務。

到了公元1925年，隨著中國陷入軍閥割據的混亂局面，義大利法西斯政權為了加強遠東影響力並保護僑民，於3月5日正式向中國派遣極其精銳的「駐華義大利營」。這支部隊主要由精銳的「聖馬可」海軍陸戰團組成，並進駐了新建的「埃爾曼諾·卡洛托」兵營，下轄聖馬可、利比亞、聖治奧三個連隊，在公元1928年時還曾接受隱居於天津租界的遜帝溥儀檢閱。在公元1930年代前半葉，兩國迎來外交與軍事蜜月期，墨索里尼的女婿加萊亞佐·齊亞諾出任駐華公使，與張學良元帥結為密友，國民政府甚至聘請義大利專家掌管鐵道與郵政，並採購了菲亞特戰鬥機和卡普羅尼轟炸機。然而，公元1937年11月義大利加入《反共產國際協定》向日本靠攏，導致蔣介石斷絕中義關係，義大利駐軍與租界瞬間陷入孤立，隨後爆發的盧溝橋事變與中日全面戰爭更逼得義大利最高指揮部緊急調派輕巡洋艦及撒丁尼亞擲彈兵營前往華北增援防線。

隨著第二次世界大戰全面打響，義大利因身為日本盟友，其天津租界與北京、上海的分隊在初期得以維持平靜，但公元1943年9月8日義大利向盟軍投降的停戰協定驟然打破了這個局面。駐守北京廣播電台的一百名義大利守軍在遭到近千名日軍及坦克的圍攻下，英勇抵抗二十四小時後被迫投降；而在天津，海軍中校卡洛·德爾阿誇面對擁有六千兵力、重砲及飛機支持的日本步兵團包圍，為了保護租界內眾多平民與的生命，在日軍示威性轟炸後無奈選擇了投降。此後，兩地不願與日軍合作的義大利官兵被扣押並送往天津、朝鮮和日本的戰俘營強制服苦役，部分人員在二戰結束後甚至再度被美軍俘獲並關押於菲律賓和夏威夷，直到公元1946年三月才搭乘美軍船隻返回拿坡里。隨著一九四七年《巴黎和約》的簽署，天津義大利租界正式回歸中國主權，這段鮮為人知的義大利駐華軍事史也徹底畫下了句點。

獎章很可能來自「斯蒂法諾·強森工廠」（Stabilimento StefanoJohnson），是一家在獎牌、徽章和硬幣製造領域享有國際盛譽的義大利代表性企業。該工廠的歷史可追溯至18世紀的英國伯明罕，強森家族當時以生產宮廷侍從制服、禮服和軍裝上的金屬壓製鈕扣與徽章聞名。公元1830年左右，家族成員詹姆斯（James Johnson）移居米蘭，並將此工藝帶入義大利，隨後公司由其子斯蒂法諾（Stefano Johnson）繼承，他全心投入工坊經營並以自己的名字正式為工廠命名。該工廠雖然在公元1943年8月的米蘭大轟炸中不幸淪為一片廢墟，但在負責人斯蒂法諾·卡洛（Stefano Carlo）與畢業於米蘭大學化學系、剛從戰俘營歸來的兒子柴薩雷·強森（Cesare Johnson）的堅韌重建下，於公元1958年在米蘭郊區巴蘭扎泰開設了現代化的新工廠，並重啟與諸多義大利雕刻家、當代藝術家的密切合作。