Item number: M489-6

Year: AD 1897-1910

Material: Silver and Enamel

Provenance: Cambi Auction 2025

This is a miniature version of the Order of the Taegeuk, promulgated on 17 April AD 1897 pursuant to Imperial Decree No. 13 of the Korean Empire.

Within the honours system of the Korean Empire, the Order of the Taegeuk was ranked as the fourth order of merit, primarily conferred upon civil officials. The order comprised eight distinct classes; this specific piece belongs to the Sixth Class and is designed to be worn on the left breast as a breast ribbon. As a miniature variant, it was intended for wear with formal civilian evening dress (such as a tailcoat) rather than military uniforms, and such pieces were typically privately commissioned.

The insignia features an eight-pointed starburst with radiating rays, denoting a rank of the Sixth Class or above. The rays consist of white enamel edged in silver, whereas those of the Fifth Class and above feature gold borders. The central medallion displays a red and blue Taegeuk motif, corresponding to the colour scheme of the national emblem of the Korean Empire; however, distinct from the official full-sized insignia, the Taegeuk on this miniature version is rotated 90 degrees clockwise. The original standard insignia includes a suspension device styled as a plum blossom, the national flower of the Korean Empire. The original ribbon features blue stripes on a red background, which likewise references the colour palette of the national Taegeuk emblem.

In AD 1897, following the conclusion of his refuge at the Russian legation, King Gojong of the Joseon dynasty renamed the state the ‘Korean Empire’, declared the new era name ‘Gwangmu’, and ascended the throne as Emperor, in an attempt to pursue an independent path amidst two powerful neighbouring states, Japan and Russia. During the Gwangmu era, the Korean Empire promoted Westernising reforms across the nation; nonetheless, these efforts ultimately proved insufficient to prevent its annexation by Japan in AD 1910, whereupon it became a colony.

物件編號: M489-6

年代: 公元 1897-1910 年

材質: 銀, 琺瑯

來源: 坎比拍賣行 2025

這是公元1897年4月17日，根據大韓帝國〈敕令第13號〉頒布的「太極勳章」迷你版，太極勳章在大韓帝國的勳章排名為第四等，頒發對象為文職人員。太極勳章共有八個等級，這枚勳章屬於第六等，以胸綬的形式配戴於左胸處。這枚勳章為迷你版，用以著非軍服正裝(例如燕尾服)時配戴，通常為私人訂製。

勳章星芒為放射狀的八道星芒，表示其等級為六等及以上。星芒為鑲著銀邊的白色琺瑯，五等及以上則有金邊。中央的圓碟為大韓帝國國徽配色的紅藍太極圖騰，但與正式版不同，此迷你版的太極順時針旋轉了90度。原勳章具有頂飾，是大韓帝國的國花李花。原綬帶配色為紅底藍條，亦是參考國徽太極的配色。

公元1897年，李氏王朝的君王高宗結束在俄國使館避居後，將國名更改為「大韓帝國」，改年號為「光武」和自立為皇帝，以意圖在日本和俄國兩個強鄰之間尋求自主路線。大韓帝國在光武年間推動韓國的西化改革，然而最終仍不敵在公元1910年遭到日本的併吞成為殖民地。