Item number: M521

Year: AD 1897-1911

Material: Gold, Silver, Gemstone

Size: 50.5 x 12.8 x 3.2 mm

Weight: 1.7 g

Provenance: La Galerie Numismatique 2025

This is a miniature version of the Secondary Star of the Order of the Double Dragon, Second Class, Third Grade, the full-sized original of which was instituted and issued by the Qing Imperial Government. Under the system of the Order of the Double Dragon, insignia were categorized into Primary Stars (corresponding to European breast stars) and Secondary Stars (corresponding to European badge decorations worn on a riband or neck ribbon). This miniature version was designed to be worn alongside formal civilian evening attire, such as tailcoats.

The star-burst body of the decoration is forged in silver and takes the form of a five-petalled lotus blossom. The spaces between the petals are filled with five silver floral motifs, each set with a translucent white gemstone, whereas the full-sized original featured blue enamelled borders. The gold central cover, which houses the primary motif, displays around its outer perimeter the design of two dragons contending for a pearl—specifically, two scaleless dragons positioned with their heads facing upwards, holding a cabochon red gemstone between them. At the precise centre sits a larger cabochon red gemstone, whereas the original insignia utilised carved red coral.

Both the suspension mount above the star and its suspension ring are set with translucent white gemstones. The purple ribbon matches that of the full-sized original, though all Second Class awards of the full-sized insignia were distinguished by a grand sash.

The order takes the form of a five-petalled lotus. The spaces between the petals are filled with five five-petalled blue-enamelled blossoms, representing the lotus in profile. The outer ring of the upper cover bears the motif of two dragons contesting a pearl—specifically, a pair of “Wu-scaled” dragons with heads raised, flanking a polished coral bead; in the miniature this bead is simplified to a flat roundel of red enamel. At the centre lies a larger carved coral bead, left uncarved and polished in the miniature.

This order belongs to the second issue of the Order of Double Dragon, promulgated in the 23rd year of Guangxu (AD 1897), revising the earlier issue of the 7th year of Guangxu (AD 1881). A memorial submitted on 13 March in the 23rd year of Guangxu (AD 1897) identified two principal defects in the earlier design: first, the “form” did not accord with that of a true “precious star”, having appeared variously in rectangular, floral, sunflower, or circular shapes; secondly, the insignia was excessively heavy and inconvenient to wear. The two versions differ little in class or institutional structure, the revisions being confined chiefly to alterations of form.

The emergence of Qing orders occurred after the First Opium War, when increasing numbers of Europeans entered China and traditional diplomatic and administrative practices proved inadequate to new circumstances. Even with the establishment of the Zongli Yamen to manage foreign affairs, differences in custom and protocol frequently gave rise to friction. Because many foreigners were employed in Qing military, educational, and economic enterprises, traditional Chinese forms of reward—such as hat finials or imperial commendations—proved unsatisfactory to them. To align with Western practice, the Qing government devised the system of orders.

In the 34th year of Guangxu (AD 1908), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs memorialised and obtained approval for extending the award of the Order of Double Dragon beyond foreigners to include Qing diplomatic officials and envoys sent abroad. The Ministry observed that in Western countries orders were primarily established to reward nationals, whereas the Qing system functioned in the opposite manner. At formal diplomatic occasions, foreign representatives customarily appeared in court dress adorned with their national orders, whereas Qing diplomats were often unable to display orders of their own state and could only wear those received from foreign governments, necessitating reform.

Because the issue period of this star falls at the end of the nineteenth century, a time of increasing diplomatic activity, the second issue of AD 1897 was produced, awarded, and preserved in considerable quantity, making it the most commonly encountered version of the Order of Double Dragon among modern collectors.

The two versions of the Order of the Double Dragon have no significant differences in terms of class and system. The following table shows the correspondence between the levels of the Order of the Double Dragon and the recipients of the awards according to the regulations of the Order in the 7th year of Guangxu (AD 1881):

物件編號: M521

年代: 公元 1897-1911 年

材質: 金、銀、寶石

尺寸: 50.5 x 12.8 x 3.2 mm

重量: 1.7 g

來源: La Galerie Numismatique 2025

這是二等三級雙龍寶星副寶星的迷你版，原章由清政府頒行。雙龍寶星制度分為大寶星（對應歐洲胸前星章）和副寶星（對應歐洲綬帶勳章）。迷你版用以著非軍服正裝（例如燕尾服）時配戴。

章體星芒為銀質，呈五瓣蓮花瓣形。花瓣間隙填充五朵銀花，均鑲有白色半透明寶石，原章則為藍色琺瑯鑲邊。承載主圖的上蓋部分為金質，圓蓋外圈呈雙龍搶珠圖，為兩隻無鱗龍之龍首朝上，龍首間為一光面紅色寶石。正中央為一較大的光面紅色寶石，原章則為刻花紅珊瑚。

章體上方懸吊與圓環均鑲有白色半透明寶石，綬帶為紫色，於原章一致，但原章二等均為大綬。

此寶星為光緒23年（公元1897年）發行的第二版雙龍寶星，改版了光緒7年（公元1881年）發行雙龍寶星。從光緒23年（公元1897年）3月13日的奏摺裡，可見當時寶星的兩個主要問題：第一為「版型」並為具備真正「寶星」的形式，因有長方形、菱花形、葵花行與圓形；第二則為佩戴不便，因為過於沈重。兩個版本的雙龍寶星在等級、制度基本上沒有太大的差異，只有寶星的樣式進行修改變動。

清朝勳章的誕生，是在第一次鴉片戰爭後，歐洲人開始湧入清朝，傳統的對外政策已無法符合當時的需求。即便設立專門處理對外事務的「總理各國事務衙門」，仍因為習俗禮儀等落差，造成各種摩擦與碰撞。在面對大量聘用於清朝的軍工、教育、經濟等行業的外國人，傳統對中國人的「頂戴花鈴」或者「傳旨嘉獎」等方式，無法讓外國人滿足。因此為了與西方制度接軌，於是創造了清朝勳章寶星制度。

在光緒34年（公元1908年）4月經外務部奏准「雙龍寶星」今後的頒發不再僅限外國人，同時也頒發給清朝外務官員以及出洋各史。外務部認為西方各國設立的勳章，主要目的是頒發給本國人，然而清朝卻完全相反。在涉及外交正式場合時，外國人往往會穿著禮服，並佩戴自己獲得的所有勳章，然而清朝的外交官員，常無法配戴本國的勳章，只能配戴外國的勳章，因有此改革。

由於此寶星發行年間為19世紀末，清朝外交活動相較於過去又更加的頻繁。因此光緒23年（公元1897年）發行的第二版雙龍寶星，不論是在製作、頒發和存世的數量非常的多，也是現代收藏中最常見雙龍寶星的版本。

兩個版本的雙龍寶星在等級、制度基本上沒有太大的差異，下表為光緒7年（公元1881年）寶星章程等級對應頒發對象：