China Society: David Hugus on Chinese Rank Badges from the Daoguang Period

China Society’s March Zoom program will be Chinese rank badges from the Daoguang period to post Imperial era. Badges from this period (1821-early twentieth century) are of great interest because they are the ones that form the majority of badges in private and most museum collections, and other than modern reproductions, the most likely to be on the market. They are the ones that can be both seen and purchased. This period in Chinese history is a very turbulent and trying period in Chinese history and the badges reflect these times.

Our speaker, David Hugus, is the author of Chinese Rank Badges-Symbols of Power, Wealth, and Intellect in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. This is his third and final program on the evolution of design in Chinese rank badges and his fifth program on badges and the “ladder to the clouds” where the badges represented the rungs of the ladder. One does not need to have been present to the previous four programs to enjoy this coming program. However, all four of the previous programs can be seen on China Society of Southern California’s You Tube site if interested.