Item number: M509

Year: AD 1938-1945

Material: Silver (.1000)

Size: 89.2 x 35.0 x 2.4 mm

Weight: 24.15 g

Manufactured by: Japan Mint, Osaka

Provenance: Private Collector, Taiwan, 2026

This is a Public Service Medal (Fenggong Baozhang) issued by the puppet regime of Manchukuo.

The medal is circular and struck in silver. The obverse features the Chinese characters Fenggong (‘Public Service’) inscribed vertically in running script at the centre. Above the inscription lies the orchid-star crest, serving as both the imperial crest of Manchukuo and the national emblem, centered on a five-petalled spring orchid—the personal emblem of Pu Yi—accented with sorghum blossoms between the petals. The central motif is enclosed by a wreath of sorghum leaves and stalks, bound with a ribbon bow at the bottom. The reverse is incised at the top with a single Chinese character, Ci (‘Bestowed’), rendered in seal script, while the remainder of the field is plain. According to the edict Regarding the Style and Specifications of Commendation Medals, the name of the recipient was intended to be engraved beneath the character Ci, flanked by the date of conferral on either side. However, most surviving specimens are plain and uninscribed, the specific reasons for which require further investigation. Both the obverse and reverse fields are smooth, framed by a double stepped rim that rises from the inner to the outer edge. The suspension fitting at the top is unique to this series of medals, formed of two sorghum stalks extending outwards from the centre, each terminating in an upward-curving grain-head; the suspension bar swivels relative to the medal body.

The edge is plain and featureless, save for a hallmark consisting of the Japanese national flag and the number ‘1000’ within a diamond frame, indicating that the piece was minted by the official Osaka Mint in Japan and signifying a purity of fine silver. The ribbon features a brown primary field flanked by narrow white stripes, edged with dark brown borders.

This series comprises five distinct medals—namely Xiehe (‘Harmony’), Dexing (‘Virtue’), Yixing (‘Righteousness’), Fenggong (‘Public Service’), and Wenhua (‘Culture’)—all designed to be worn on the left chest with a ribbon. The Public Service Commendation Medal was awarded to “those who have devoted themselves to the development of local self-government, the improvement of industry, charitable work, or other public and social affairs, or who have donated personal wealth to the state or society, or rendered diligent service, and whose distinguished achievements serve as an exemplar for the public”.

Manchukuo was a puppet state established by Japan in AD 1932 following the Mukden Incident planned in AD 1931 to occupy Northeast China, aimed at furthering Japanese colonial rule and expansionist ambitions. Installing Pu Yi, the abdicated emperor of the Qing dynasty, as ‘Chief Executive’ (later proclaimed Emperor in AD 1934) with its capital at Hsinking (present-day Changchun), the regime was commonly referred to as ‘Manchukuo’ or ‘Bogus Manchukuo’. Throughout its fourteen-year existence, real political authority was entirely controlled by the Japanese Kwantung Army, and the territory was used as a strategic resource base for Japan’s full-scale invasion of China and participation in the Second World War. The regime collapsed completely in August AD 1945 following Japan’s defeat and surrender, combined with the offensive of the Soviet Red Army into Northeast China, which led to Pu Yi’s formal abdication.

物件編號: M509

年代: 公元 1938-1945 年

材質: 銀 (.1000)

尺寸: 89.2 x 35.0 x 2.4 mm

重量: 24.15 g

製造地: 造幣局大阪本局

來源: 台灣私人收藏 2026

這是一枚偽滿州國政權所發行的奉公褒章。

章體為圓形，銀質。正面中央豎列行書體漢字「奉公」。銘文上方則是滿州國皇室紋章暨國徽蘭花星，以溥儀御用花五瓣春蘭為主體，花瓣間飾以滿州國花高粱花。周圍以高粱花葉為冠，交錯部以帶相繫。背面上鐫一篆體漢字「賜」，餘部無字，據法令《關於褒章之制式之件》，「賜」字下應有受賜者姓名，兩側則加鐫受賜之年月日。存世褒章多光平無文，具體待考。正背面底章光平，章緣有由內至外由低到高有雙層邊環。上方懸掛則為此系列褒章特有，為形狀為自中央向兩側延伸的兩株高粱，末端各帶有一穗高粱穗頭，穗頭向上彎曲，懸掛相對於章體可旋轉。

邊緣則光平無文，有一處戳記為日章旗和菱形外框的「1000」，表示此章產自日本官方的大阪造幣局，並標示純度為純銀。綬帶以茶色為主題，兩側有細白帶為飾，邊緣則鑲以深茶色色帶。

該褒章系列共有五枚，為「協和」、「德行」、「義行」、「奉公」、「文化」，均以襟綬配於左肋，奉公褒章則授予「凡獻身於地方自治之發達、產業之改良、慈善事業或其他社會公共之事，或為國家或社會捐助私財，或服勤勞，其功績顯著堪為民眾之模範者」。

滿洲國係日本於公元1931年策劃「九一八事變」佔領中國東北後，為遂行殖民統治與擴張企圖，於公元1932年擁立清朝遜帝溥儀為「執政」（後於公元1934年改稱皇帝）定都新京（今長春），所建立的傀儡政權，也因此習稱「偽滿州國」；在其十四年的存續期間，政權實權完全由日本關東軍掌控，並被作為日本發動全面侵華與二次大戰的戰略物資基地，直至公元1945年8月日本戰敗投降及蘇聯紅軍進攻東北，溥儀宣佈退位，滿洲國遂隨之徹底覆滅。