Nhạc Rừng

Kim Khánh

The Order of Kim Khanh (Vietnamese: Kim khánh, chu Han Viet: 金磬) was an Order of Merit of the Empire of Vietnam. The order was abolished when Vietnam became a republic. The emperor awarded this decoration to his mandarins or high officials. It is suited for their silken gowns but it is an unusual decoration in the eyes of the Europeans. It consists of a golden plaque in the shape of a traditional Vietnamese gong with Chinese characters and symbols like dragons, dragon's paws with a pearl, fo-dogs, turtles and phoenixes. Attached to the plaque are a traditional depiction of a bat in orange and white pearls, beads of red and white coral, fresh water pearls and gold. The Chinese characters mean "A visible sign of thanks and good will". On the back the words "awa… more »