China, Beiyang Government. A Military Ordnance Education Class Award, C.1920

In bronze gilt with red, white, blue, yellow, green and black enamels, obverse centrepiece with Chinese characters, white circle in the centre inscribed "Reward Medal for Studying Hard", the circle within a blue triangle with characters in each of the three corners inscribed "Nobleness / Brave - Valiant / Related to Military - Ability to Fight", the triangle itself within a large red circle with characters on the three sides inscribed "Ordnance Education Class of the Legion / Joint of Four Three Ground Force / Cherish Reputation", reverse inscribed "Hardworking and Thrifty" and number engraved "No 32", measuring 63.5 mm (w) x 78.3 mm inclusive of its integral loop, ring suspension, scattered chipping evident on a few emamelled rays and in the white enamels on the centrepiece, near extremely fine.

Footnote: The Beiyang government (sometimes spelled Peiyang Government) refers to the government of the Republic of China, which was in place in the capital city of Beijing from 1912 to 1928. It was internationally recognized as the legitimate Chinese government. The name derives from the Beiyang Army, which dominated its politics with the rise of Yuan Shikai, who was a General of the previous Imperial Qing government. After his death, the army fractured into competing factions. Although the government and the state were nominally under civilian control under a constitution, the Beiyang generals were effectively in charge of it, with various factions vying for power, contributing to internal instability. Nevertheless, the government enjoyed legitimacy abroad along with diplomatic recognition, had access to tax and customs revenue, and could apply for foreign financial loans. Its legitimacy was seriously challenged in 1917, by Sun Yat-sen's Guangzhou-based Kuomintang (KMT) government movement. His successor Chiang Kai-shek defeated the Beiyang warlords during the Northern Expedition in 1926-28 and overthrew the factions and the government, effectively unifying the country in 1928. The Kuomintang proceeded to install their Nationalist government in Nanjing; China's political order became a one-party regime, and subsequently received international recognition.