JapanX

Here is an older brother of your badge – 4th class. No box, no ribbon (if there indeed was one) and one star is missing.

It looks like the obverse of the badge bears image of the mythical Chinese unicorn called Chi Lin (a.k.a. Chi-Lin). Chi Lin is a mythical Chinese creature which is similar to a unicorn. It is often known to be a dragon horse mixture since it seems to have the body of a horse and the head of a dragon. According to the traditions, looking at this creature is very auspicious and brings happiness. The mythical Chi Lin symbolizes success, prosperity, longevity and fertility.

General Yan Xishan (a.k.a. “Model Governor”) was born 8 October 1883 Xinzhou, Shanxi and 22 July 1960 (aged 76) in Taipei, Taiwan. He was a Chinese warlord who served in the government of the Republic of China. Yan effectively controlled the province of Shanxi from the 1911 Xinhai Revolution to the 1949 Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War. As the leader of a relatively small, poor, remote province, Yan Xishan survived the machinations of Yuan Shikai, the Warlord Era, the Nationalist Era, the Japanese invasion of China, and the subsequent civil war, being forced from office only when the Nationalist armies with which he was aligned had completely lost control of the Chinese mainland, isolating Shanxi from any source of economic or military supply. Yan has been viewed by Western biographers as a transitional figure who advocated using Western technology to protect Chinese traditions, while at the same time reforming older political, social, and economic conditions in a way that paved the way for the radical changes that would occur after his rule. For more detailed info please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuan_Shikai

General

Let’s take a look at the face of the founder.

Hi Gavin have some interesting (hopefully ) additional info for your treasure It seems that this badge (medal? order?) was established in 1920 (on 9th year of the Republic) in Shanxi (a.k.a. Shansi) province by General Yan Xishan (a.k.a. General Yen Shi-shan, a.k.a. General Yán Xíshān, a.k.a. General Yen Hsi-shan) who was a governor of Shanxi at that time. I believe that the more appropriate translation for this badge will be Badge (medal? order?) for Philanthropic Donation. There are 5 classes – the class depended on the amount of the donation. 5 stars on 5 rays = 1 class. 1 star on one ray = 5 class.

Nice one! Thanks for showing Laurence! Cheers, Nick

Hi 992F you are talking about short story "The Lion and the Sun" by great russian writer Anton Chekov. You can read this story here http://www.iranian.com/Arts/2001/December/Lion/index.html Cheers, Nick

Document reverse

Document obverse

By the way this authentic set confirm my long-term observations: silver kanji on the box = Kosho badge And now the most interesting part - the document. This one was issued to Army Private 1st Class Fukuda Haruo, who was born on September 28, 1918. He received this badge on June 24, 1943. The reverse of the document shows that he contracted a disease (malaria?) during the China Incident, in the area of Jiujiang.

Badge reverse

Badge obverse

Set

Thanks to Rich we have a nice opportunity to examine another Kosho variation of the wound badge (type 4.2) with a smaller "add-on document" (height 105 mm and width 75 mm).

Another specimen on green ribbon

Some additional pieces A low quality miniature?

Yep. You are right. This is Arthus Bertrand. After 1925 type of order and ribbon. Ribbon is correct one. I am planing to create a thread completely dovoted to these Bertrand lions Cheers, Nick

At last!!! It`s about time for us to see some unified examples of lion and sun order P.S. This post was a remark to my post 17 ;)

Comparison

Clearly marked speciment with at least one french mark (800). My guess it`s our old friend Arthus Bertrand work. Let`s compare it with another specimen from above.

And now companion piece for standing lion with superimposed crown.

Yes, could be... But then every military institution of higher education in Iran might has its own ribbon color Cheers, Nick

If not "identical", then darn close to it ;)

Comparison