Rewarded with Promotion
The emperor’s rewards, however, were not all material gifts. Rewards that enhanced one’s status and reputation, including promotions, titles, posthumous entitlement, feathered finial hats, yellow imperial mantles, and badges, were among the more common gifts presented in officialdom.
The diverse range of rewards allowed emperors to use them according to the situation. During the Kangxi and Yongzheng dynasties from the latter half of the 17th to the early 18th century, the system of giving awards gradually took shape. As for the advanced titles that were presented starting in the Qianlong reign during the 18th century, it became routine by the Guangxu reign in the late 19th century to also respond to diplomatic needs through the reciprocal awarding of imperial order medals. The non-material nature of such gifts symbolizing honor and high repute was often worth far more than the material object itself.
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Merit Plaques: Symbols of Military Achievements and Glory
December 31,1885,Qing dynasty
National Museum of History 10032In ancient times, merit plaques were awards given to individuals with military achievements. During the Ming dynasty, they were typically made of silver, resembling modern-day medals, and often bore the word “award.” By the Qing dynasty, they were made of paper, more akin to today’s certificates of commendation.
The merit plaque in the collection of the National Museum of History is made of paper and inscribed with the word “merit plaque.” It was awarded by Bao Chao (1828–1886), a first-class viscount and Hunan provincial military commander then in charge of military affairs in Yunnan, to a wentong (a young scholar who had not yet passed the imperial examination) named Chen Yuanzeng for rendering meritorious services in the military camp of Zhanyizhou in Yunnan. In addition to Bao petitioning to Emperor Guangxu to award Chen an eighth-rank official hat finial, Bao also asked the emperor to grant Chen a merit plaque as a form of encouragement. Receiving such a plaque was a symbol of honor and often came with rewards such as a bureaucratic title or silver, making it, in effect, a form to promotion and salary increase. -
Hat Buttons and Ranks: Qing Officials’ Headgear Hierarchy
The hat buttons referred to the jewels affixed atop Qing officials’ formal hats (worn with court, ceremonial, or regular attire). In the early Qing dynasty, different button materials were used for officials of different ranks, as explained below: 1st rank: ruby; 2nd rank: coral; 3rd rank: sapphire; 4th rank: lapis lazul; 5th rank: rock crystal; 6th rank: conch shell; 7th rank: plain gold; 8th rank: carved gold with recessed patterns; 9th rank: carved gold with raised patterns; and non-officials: no hat buttons.
During the Yongzheng reign, officials from the 3rd to 6th ranks began wearing glass imitations that resembled the original gemstones. In some cases, dyed ivory bones were used to replace corals or other gemstones.
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Palace memorial on peacock feather award for Colonel Zhang
Presented by Yue Zhongqi, General of Ningyuan
July 14, 1730, Qing dynasty
故宮003221 -
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Red-tinted stone hat finial with longevity character
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
贈玉000245 -
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Lapis lazul hat finial
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
贈玉00046 -
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Rock crystal hat finial
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
贈玉000244 -
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Conch shell hat finial
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
贈玉000271 -
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Gilt hat finial
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
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Feather Fasteners and Peacock Plumes: The Art of Qing Official Headgear
In the palace memorial, Gao mentions the emperor’s gifts, which included a peacock feather, medicine pills, a feather fastener, a peacock plume, a cloisonné enamel snuff bottle, a tortoiseshell flint pouch, and imperial food from the court kitchen. Among these, the peacock feather, feather fastener, and peacock plume were decorative items used on Qing officials’ hats.
In addition to the hat finial, a Qing official’s headgear featured the feather fastener and peacock plume. The feather fastener was typically 6 to 7 cm long and made from various materials including jade, jadeite, cloisonné enamel, or porcelain. It was used to secure the peacock plume at the back of the hat. The peacock plume itself was a symbol of imperial favor, granted by the emperor to meritorious officials. The hat finial and peacock plume were all considered visible symbols of rank in the Qing bureaucracy. In Qing dramas, if an official committed a serious error and lost imperial favor, the emperor would ceremonially remove the hat finial and peacock plume, a powerful gesture of demotion and disgrace.
Plumes were divided into two types: blue plumes, taken from common pheasants, were generally bestowed to lower-ranking officials (6th rank and below) or imperial guards. Peacock plumes, also known as decorated plumes, were awarded to high-ranking officials (5th rank and above) or distinguished warriors.
In the Qing dynasty, receiving peacock plumes was a rare honor, symbolizing supreme imperial favor and distinction. The feather tips were categorized based on the number of “eyes” visible: single-eye, double-eye, and triple-eye plumes. The more eyes a plume had, the higher the recipient’s merit and status. The three-eyed peacock plume was the most prestigious, representing exceptional merit and noble rank.
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Palace memorial on gratitude for feather fastener bestowal
Presented by Gao Qizhuo, Governor-General of Yunnan-Guizhou
August 17, 1724, Qing dynasty
故宮015717 -
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Porcelain feather fastener with famille rose decoration
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
中瓷001746-001747 -
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Porcelain feather fastener with lake-green glaze
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
中瓷001806-001807 -
Imperial Order of the Double Dragon: Late Qing Glory Meets Western-Style Medals
On February 7, 1882, Prince Gong Yixin (1833–1898), one of the senior ministers at the Zongli Yamen (Office for the General Management of Affairs Concerning the Various Countries), submitted a palace memorial to the emperor proposing the design and ranking system for the “Imperial Order of the Double Dragon (Precious Star),” which the emperor later approved. The decoration was named the “Double Dragon Precious Star” because of the twin dragons engraved on it—a symbol of imperial authority.
Initially, the medals were divided into three classes, each with three ranks, with variations in materials such as gold, silver, enamel, and colored gemstones to reflect levels of prestige. The medals were typically shaped with radiating starbursts, either octagonal or sixteen-pointed. By the early 20th century, the system was expanded to five classes and eleven ranks.
The “Imperial Order of the Double Dragon” in the collection of the National Museum of History features 16 star rays surrounding a central inscription in Manchu and Chinese, reading “Imperial Order of the Double Dragon.” A small red coral decoration sits at the top, a large lapis lazul stone is embedded in the center, and green enamel dragons encircle the medal. Based on its design, this artifact is identified as a 4th-class precious star, typically bestowed upon meritorious military officers and soldiers. The double dragon precious star blends traditional Chinese culture with Western-style medals. However, this award system lasted only a few decades and was abolished after the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911.