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The Order of the Heroic Exemplar (Chinese: 英雄模范勋章) was the second highest military decoration, during 2011 and 2018, awarded by the Government of the People's Republic of China, only second to the Order of August First, and was named Heroic Exemplar Medal (Chinese: 英雄模范奖章) before 2011. The person who gained the award is called Heroic Exemplar (Chinese: 英模).

According to the 2018 amendment of PLA Disciplinary Order, the First Class Order of Heroic Exemplar is renamed back to Heroic Exemplar Medal (Chinese: 英模奖章), and the Second Class Order is abandoned.

History

The Heroic Exemplar Medal, along with the Meritorious Service Medal, was first created in April 1951 by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army political director Du Ping in an effort to promote the unity of the Chinese armed forces during the Korean War. The medal was conceived so that the common soldiers would follow the examples set by a few selected role models. When the medal was first created, it was composed of three categories — second, first and special class. The special class was later eliminated when the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) medal system was formalized in 1988. In 2011, the name of the award changed into Order of Heroic Exemplar.

Criteria and selection process

According to the initial award criteria published in 1951, the medal of the Order was awarded to those "who have owned two medals of third or second class or one of the first grade award, who are most outstanding at an army or army corps level, and whose remarkable contribution are also recognized by friendly units."

A candidate for the order would normally be nominated by the deputy political officer of a company, while all squads within the company were required to meet once a month to list each soldier's accomplishments for the selection process. Once nominated, the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission or the candidate's theater region political department would be responsible for approving the nomination to the order. Before 2018 the nomination process for a prospective inductee included what class of the order he or she will be appointed to.

Investiture and regulations for wear

Once the nomination is approved, the recipient would be treated with a grand formal ceremony of investiture that is intended to educate the entire PLA or the recipient's military theater command, wherein he or she is formally invested with the medal of the Order. Besides the medal, the recipient also receives a ribbon bar and a certificate from the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission. Until 2018 the certificate of honor indicated which class of the order in which he or she has been named to was to be stated. According to the 1988 regulation, the medal of the Order must be worn on the upper left side of the recipient's uniform. The regulation also decreed that the medal itself can only be worn during special meetings and celebrations, while the ribbon bars are allowed in daily functions.

Recipient

First Class Order of Heroic Exemplar

From the renaming of the award in 2011, to the end of December 2016, a total of 14 people have received the First Class Medal of the Order of Heroic Exemplar, including 2 general officers, 7 field and junior grade officers, and 1 private. Of the 14 recipients, 4 of them are posthumously awarded.

Second Class Order of Heroic Exemplar

Not all individuals who received the Second Class Order of Heroic Exemplar were reported in the public media.

Notes

1. In Chinese military nomenclature, the term "Army" (军) means Corps, while the term "Army Corps" (兵团) means Army.

References

Citations

1. ^ 80th Anniversary of the Birth of the Armed Forces: Introduction to Service and Award Medals (建军80周年：勋章、奖章 闪耀在军人胸前的荣耀) (in Chinese), Beijing, China: Xinhua, 2007-07-05, archived from the original on June 25, 2008, retrieved 2010-10-06
2. ^ People's Liberation Army Discipline Regulations Chapter Two: Awards (中国人民解放军纪律条令第二章：奖励) (in Chinese), Beijing, China: Xinhua, 2002-03-23, archived from the original on January 17, 2008, retrieved 2010-10-06
3. "中国人民解放军纪律条令（试行）". Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of China. 2018-04-18. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
4. ^ Zhang 1995, p. 197.
5. Zhang 1995, p. 198.
6. Zhang 1995, pp. 197–198.
7. Zhang 1995, pp. 198, 199.

Sources

• Zhang, Shu Guang (1995), Mao's Military Romanticism: China and the Korean War, 1950-1953, Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, ISBN 0-7006-0723-4

v t e Military decorations of the People's Liberation Army
before 1949	Red Star Medal [zh] (1933-1934, by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army)
1950s	August 1 Medal (1955-1957) Order of Independence and Freedom (1955-1957) Order of Liberation (1955-1962)
1970-1980s	Medal of Heroic Exemplar (1979-2011) Honor Merit Medal of Red Star (1988) Honor Merit Medal of Independence (1988) Honor Merit Medal of Victory (1988)
1990-2000s	Guard of Republic Bronze Medal Guard of Capital Medal Guard of Lhasa Medal Medal of Rebellion Calm Down
2010s	Order of Heroic Exemplar (2011-2018) Medal of Heroic Exemplar (2018-2022)
Current	August 1 Medal Meritorious Service Medal Medal of National Defense Service Medal of Guarding the Frontiers Medal of Devotion for National Defense Medal of Peace Mission Medal of Performing Combat/Vital Mission

• Awards established in 1951
• Military awards and decorations of China
• Military awards and decorations of the People's Liberation Army
• People's Volunteer Army
• 1951 establishments in China
• Hero (title)