The Order of the Sacred Tripod

• Time Period: Interwar Period
• Year of Institution: 15 May 1929
• Country: Taiwan (Republic of China)

The Order of the Sacred Tripod (or 寶鼎勳章 in Chinese), also referred to as the Order of the Precious Tripod or Pao Ting, is a military award of the Republic of China created on 15 May 1929 and awarded for significant contributions to national security.

The medal is the general medal of the three services of the Republic of China to commend those who defend against foreign aggression. Its rank is lower than the Blue Sky and White Sun Medal and higher than the Yun Yun Medal.

The order is organized into nine grades:

• 1st, with Special Grand Cordon.
• 2nd, with Grand Cordon.
• 3rd, with Red Grand Cordon.
• 4th, with Special Cravat.
• 5th, with Cravat.
• 6th, with Special Rosette.
• 7th, with Rosette.
• 8th, with Special Ribbon.
• 9th, with Ribbon.

The grade received vary according to military rank. The first to fourth are awarded to general officers. The third to sixth ranks are awarded to school officers. The fourth to seventh ranks are awarded to lieutenants. Waiting officers, warrant officers, and soldiers are awarded the sixth to ninth class.

The Order of the Sacred Tripod Design

The central design of the order’s insignia is an image of a tripod surrounded by golden rays. The symbolism of this is that as the tripod is considered a national treasure, so too is the recipient of the order.