Orders, decorations, and medals of China
# Orders, decorations, and medals of China

The following is a list of the orders and medals issued by the People's Republic of China since its founding. The Working Committee of Party and State Merit and Honour Commendation is responsible for coordinating the work of Party and state merit and honor commendation.

## History

In the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong and other leaders believed that the national honor system was a relic of old society, and that the pursuit of medals would encourage the prevalence of individualism and selfishness in society, which was inconsistent with the political moral standards of "selflessness". Therefore, the national honor system of the People's Republic of China had not been fully established before 2016 and was in a blank state during the Cultural Revolution period. China, together with Switzerland, South Sudan, Eritrea, etc., is listed as one of the few countries in the world that have not set up a national honours system.

In recent years, calls were made for the government of China to improve the national honour system and make to award national medals. In 2007, the Ministry of Civil Affairs of the People's Republic of China announced the decision to establish a national honour system in an effort to "unite the sons and daughters of China with common values." On December 27, 2015, the 18th session of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth National People's Congress passed the Law of the People's Republic of China on National Medals and Titles of Honour, which came into force on January 1, 2016. According to the provisions of this law, the state establishes the Order of the Republic, which is awarded to outstanding people who have made great contributions and made outstanding contributions to the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the defense of the country. The Friendship Medal will be awarded to foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to China's socialist modernization drive, to promoting exchanges and cooperation with other countries, and to maintaining world peace. The National Honorary Title shall be established to award outstanding persons who have made significant contributions and enjoyed high reputation in various fields and industries such as economy, society, national defense, foreign affairs, education, science and technology, culture, public health, sports and so on. The Order of July the First is awarded to outstanding party members. These five highest orders of honour in China form the core of its newly established system for merit and honour. The first August 1 Medal and the Friendship Medal were conferred on 28 July 2017 and 8 June 2018 respectively, the Republic Medal and the National Medal of Honour on 29 September 2019, and the July 1 Medal on 29 June 2021.

## Precedent

National medals and titles of national honour are usually awarded once every five years on the fifth and tenth anniversaries of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the People's Republic of China and the People's Liberation Army, and may be awarded at other times if necessary. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress is responsible for the proposal of nomination of prospective individuals for inclusion to the national honours list to be awarded for these occasions.

## Civilian

### Medals

| Name (in English) | Name (in Chinese) | Issuing authority | Award Criteria | Date of establishment |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| Republic Medal | 共和国勋章 | President of China Standing Committee of the National People's Congress | Distinguished personages who have made great contributions and established outstanding achievements in the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the defence of the country | 2016-01-01 |
| Friendship Medal | 友谊勋章 | President of China | Foreigners who have made outstanding contributions to China's socialist modernization drive, the promotion of Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation, and the maintenance of world peace | 2016-01-01 |
| July 1 Medal | 七一勋章 | General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party | Chinese Communist Party members who have made outstanding contributions to the great cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics and to the great new project of party building | 2017-07-22 |

### Honorary titles and awards

| Name (in English) | Name (in Chinese) | Issuing authority | Award Criteria | Date of establishment |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| National honorary titles | 国家荣誉称号 | President of China, Standing Committee of the NPC | Distinguished persons who have made significant contributions and enjoyed high reputation in various fields and industries such as economy, society, national defence, foreign affairs, education, science and technology, culture, health, sports and so on | 2016-01-01 |
| Chinese Government's Friendship Award | 中国政府友谊奖 | State Council | Foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's socialist modernization and reform and opening up | 1991 |
| Aerospace Meritorious Service Award | 航天功勋奖 | CCP Central Committee, State Council, Central Military Commission | Astronauts from the People's Liberation Army Astronaut Corps who completed the Shenzhou spacecraft missions | 2003-11-07 |
| Outstanding communist party member award | 全国优秀共产党员 | CCP Central Committee | Party members that is ideologically and politically firm, consistent with the Central Committee with strong working style, high prestige, excellent working ability and outstanding achievements. | 2006-06-30 |
| Outstanding party affairs worker award | 全国优秀党务工作者奖 | Central Committee | | 2006-06-30 |
| National model labourers award | 全国劳动模范奖 | Central Committee, State Council | | 1950-09-25 |
| National frontier workers award | 全国先进工作者奖 | Central Committee, State Council | | 1960-06-01 |
| Pioneer of Reform Award | 改革先锋奖 | Central Committee, State Council | People who have made outstanding contributions to China's reform and opening up | 2018-12-18 |
| China Reform Friendship Medal | 中国改革友谊奖章 | Central Committee, State Council | Foreigners who have given support and help to China's reform and opening up | 2018-12-18 |
| Highest Science and Technology Award | 国家最高科学技术奖 | Central Committee, State Council | Having made major breakthroughs in the frontiers of contemporary science and technology or made outstanding achievements in the development of science and technology; Scientific workers who create great economic or social benefits in the course of scientific and technological innovation, transformation of scientific and technological achievements and industrialization of high technology. | 2019-01-08 (Medal) |
| International Science and Technology Cooperation Award | 国际科学技术合作奖 | Central Committee, State Council | Foreigners or organizations that have made contributions to China's scientific and technological undertakings. | 2019-01-08 (Medal) |

## People's Liberation Army

### Order

| Name (in English) | Name (in Chinese) | Rank | Date of establishment | Present situation |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| August 1 Medal | 八一勋章(新) | | 2017-06-12 | Still issued |
| Medal of Heroic Exemplar | 英雄模范勋章 | 1 | 1979-03-23 | Still issued |
| Medal of Heroic Exemplar | 英雄模范勋章 | 2 | 1979-03-23 | Still issued |
| Order of Bayi (1955) | 八一勋章 | 1 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Bayi (1955) | 八一勋章 | 2 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Bayi (1955) | 八一勋章 | 3 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Independence and Freedom | 独立自由勋章 | 1 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Independence and Freedom | 独立自由勋章 | 2 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Independence and Freedom | 独立自由勋章 | 3 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Liberation | 解放勋章 | 1 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Liberation | 解放勋章 | 2 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Order of Liberation | 解放勋章 | 3 | 1955-02-12 | No longer issued |
| Honor Medal of the Red Star | 红星功勋荣誉章 | 1 | 1988-07-01 | No longer issued |
| Honor Medal of the Red Star | 红星功勋荣誉章 | 2 | 1988-07-01 | No longer issued |
| Honor Medal of Independence Merit | 独立功勋荣誉章 | | 1988-07-01 | No longer issued |
| Honor Medal of Victory Merit | 胜利功勋荣誉章 | | 1988-07-01 | No longer issued |

### Medal

| Name (in English) | Name (in Chinese) | Ribbon | Rank | Date of establishment | Present situation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Meritorious Service Medal | 立功奖章 | | 1 | 1979-03-23 | Still issued |
| Meritorious Service Medal | 立功奖章 | | 2 | 1979-03-23 | Still issued |
| Meritorious Service Medal | 立功奖章 | | 3 | 1979-03-23 | Still issued |
| Good Soldier Badge | 优秀士兵证章 | None | | 1996-08-01 | Still issued |
| Excellent Cadet Badge | 优秀学员证章 | None | | 1996-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of National Defense Service | 国防服役纪念章 | | Gold | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of National Defense Service | 国防服役纪念章 | | Silver | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of National Defense Service | 国防服役纪念章 | | Copper | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Defending the Frontiers | 卫国戍边纪念章 | | Gold | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Defending the Frontiers | 卫国戍边纪念章 | | Silver | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Defending the Frontiers | 卫国戍边纪念章 | | Copper | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Devotion for National Defense | 献身国防纪念章 | | Gold | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Devotion for National Defense | 献身国防纪念章 | | Silver | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Devotion for National Defense | 献身国防纪念章 | | Copper | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Peace Mission | 和平使命纪念章 | | | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Performing Combat/Vital Mission | 执行作战和重大任务纪念章 | | Combat Mission | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |
| Commemorative Medal of Performing Combat/Vital Mission | 执行作战和重大任务纪念章 | | Major Task | 2011-08-01 | Still issued |

### Ribbons

Qualification badges (Chinese: 级别资历章) are a series of decorations of People's Liberation Army Type 07 in the form of small ribbons mounted on small metal bars indicating military rank, billet, or length of service. Only PLA/PAPF officers can wear qualification badges, PLA/PAPF soldiers wear National Defense Service Medal instead.

**Billet and rank ribbons**

Each row has three ribbons; a blank white ribbon is used to fill out a row that only has two ribbons. Ranks and billets can be inferred from the number of rows. The rule is:

* 7 rows: Level of Vice Chairman of CMC (Chinese: 中央军委副主席) and CMC members (Chinese: 中央军委委员)
* 6 rows: Level of Theater Command (Chinese: 大军区级)
* 5 rows: Level of Corps (Chinese: 军级)
* 4 rows: Level of Division (Chinese: 师级)
* 3 rows: Level of Regiment/Brigade (Chinese: 团级)
* 2 rows: Level of Battalion (Chinese: 营级)
* 1 row: Level of Company (Chinese: 连级) and Platoon (Chinese: 排级)

The ribbon at the middle of top row is called a rank ribbon (Chinese: 级别略章) and has at least one five-pointed star on it. One star represent for deputy posts (except level of vice chairman of CMC and CMC members and platoon), and two stars for principal posts. The color of stars also differs from ranks, over and include level of corps it is golden and below it is silver.

**Length of service ribbons**

All ribbons except for the rank/billet ribbon centered at the top row are used to represent the wearer's length of service, similar to the U.S. military's service stripes.

**Length of service ribbons**

**Ribbon list**

| Ribbon class | Ribbon name | Description |
| - | - | - |
| Rank | Level of Vice Chairman of CMC and CMC members | Lemon yellow background with a yellow star surrounded by olive branches in the middle. |
| Rank | Level of Theater Command | Saffron yellow background with yellow stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Corps | Khaki background with yellow stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Division | Red background with silver stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Regiment/Brigade | Dark purple background with silver stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Battalion | Dark blue background with silver stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Company | Light blue background with silver stars in the middle, one for deputy posts and two for principal posts. |
| Rank | Level of Platoon | Grass green background with a silver star in the middle. |
| Service length | One Year Ribbon | Green background with double yellow single red stripe. |
| Service length | Two Years Ribbon | Dark blue background with double white stripes. |
| Service length | Three Years Ribbon | Yellow background with triple red stripes. |
| Service length | Four Years Ribbon | Grey blue background with tetrad yellow strips. |
| Service length | Five Years Ribbon | Penta Red, white, dark blue, yellow, dark green strips. |
| Service length | Ten Years Ribbon | Decade red, light blue, yellow, light green, yellow, dark blue, yellow, dark purple, yellow, red strips. |
| Padding | Supplementary ribbon used when service length ribbons cannot fully fill the row. Its use is avoided where possible. | Light grey |

## Swords

* Sword of Deep Blue (Chinese: 深蓝之剑) – Awarded as a Naval honor
* Sword of The Sea (Chinese: 海之剑) – Awarded to graduating cadets of Dalian Naval Academy
* Sword of Military Spirit (Chinese: 军魂剑) – Awarded to graduating cadets of PLA Nanjing Political College
