China P R China - Liberation Merit Order, 3rd class

[Ed_Haynes]

Cased. Numbered 04673. No document or attribution

Awarded to junior officers for service in the Revolutionary War during the War of Liberation Period (3 September 1945 to 30 June 1950). In effect, this is the medal for the final phase of the Civil War.

[Guest Rick Research]

Were these suppressed during the Cultural Revolution?

Actual "in wear" photos are extremely hard to find. I'm wondering if this and other national awards came in to replace the utter confusion of local Front awards...

just in time for the convulsions of the 1960s purges.

[Ed_Haynes]

During the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, all awards were looke down on (as were ranks in the military) as being counter-revolutionary, rightist, Stalinist, and feudal. The recipients kept them, but wearing them was considered very naughty and could land you in a world of hurt and "criticism" by Chairman Mao's Red Guards. Many recipients still have them, and while wearing them has become more acceptable in today's socialist-capitalist China, few recipients survive.

There was a good article in JOMSA a few years back, let me look.

It is my clear sense that they were intended to replace the utter chaos of regional, army-specific awards.

Edited September 11, 2005 by Ed_Haynes

[kimj]

There is a reason why the chinese awards are hard to find. I saw on an other forum how many were awarded. For example the numbers of this Liberation Merit order:

1st class: Awarded to army commanders or beyond, 991 awarded.

2nd class: Awarded to division commanders, 4932 awarded.

3rd Class: Awarded to regiment or battalion commanders, 54789 awarded.

Must have been pretty hard to ern one of those...

/Kim

[Ed_Haynes]

A few more images, to try to breathe some life into PRC things.

The case exterior.

[Ed_Haynes]

Scan of case lid.

[Ed_Haynes]

Inside. (Not a great image, sorry.)

[Ed_Haynes]

Detail of obverse.

[Guest Rick Research]

What is that purple lining material? It looks like shaggy pile carpet!

[Ed_Haynes]

The reverse. Numbered, under the cumbersome pin device, "04763". Aross the points 48 mm, and weights in at 34.7 g isf anyone cares.

[Ed_Haynes]

Interestingly, the case, too, is numbered on the reverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

What is that purple lining material? It looks like shaggy pile carpet!

Not much textile skill here, sorry. Really fuzzy fluffy wine-purple stuff. Scientific enough?

[Ed_Haynes]

And, to complete the image, the next step down, the Liberation Merit Medal.

This one, #39260, from the Feng Zhai-lu group -- see http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2327

[Guest Rick Research]

Oh God! 1970s flashback! "Deep Purple!" Can-not-get-tune-out-of-head-help-help-help.

But the lining is FITTED for the star and ribbon bar, not that they are just SUNK into that Astrakhan-ish material?

Quite interesting pin construction-- the shielded pointed end of the catch is quite a good idea and never seen anything like it.

[Ed_Haynes]

Oh God! 1970s flashback! "Deep Purple!" Can-not-get-tune-out-of-head-help-help-help.

Or are you thinking "Purple Haze" . . . oh . . . the flashbacks . . . .

But the lining is FITTED for the star and ribbon bar, not that they are just SUNK into that Astrakhan-ish material?

Yes, fitted cut-into the underlying whatever. Not wood, but solid.

Quite interesting pin construction-- the shielded pointed end of the catch is quite a good idea and never seen anything like it.

Agreed. Unusual, at the very least (I shan't quote my students and call it "very unique"!).

A couple of close-ups, since it is right here.

[reichsrommel]

Hi, Gentlemen

So glad to see that guys here are interested in PLA awards. This Libearation Order 3cl is mint!! Bayi, Independence & Freedom and Liberation Order is the 'big three' of Chinese official orders. Each kind of order has 3 classes. They are the most worthy collectible among PLA awards.

Tang Si

[Ed_Haynes]

Hi, Gentlemen

So glad to see that guys here are interested in PLA awards. This Libearation Order 3cl is mint!! Bayi, Independence & Freedom and Liberation Order is the 'big three' of Chinese official orders. Each kind of order has 3 classes. They are the most worthy collectible among PLA awards.

Tang Si

Yes, Tang Si, those are my targets! I consider these three sets of awards to be the gems of PRC collecting. I have the latest two medals in Feng Zhai-lu's group, but just the one undocumented order, so nine holes to fill in my dreams.

[Stogieman]

Hi Ed, I'm really pleased with the quality of this Order. Perhaps surprised would be a better term. Interesting that the quality is so much better than anything put out by Cuba in the same era. Very nice indeed!!

[reichsrommel]

Hi Ed, I'm really pleased with the quality of this Order. Perhaps surprised would be a better term. Interesting that the quality is so much better than anything put out by Cuba in the same era. Very nice indeed!!

Cuba?

Tang Si

[usairforce]

Very beautiful!!