Order of Independence and Freedom

Order of Independence and Freedom
Order of Independence and Freedom (First Class Medal)
Type	Chinese military medal
Country	People's Republic of China
Presented by	Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
Eligibility	Military personnel only
Established	1955
First awarded	1955
Last awarded	1955
Total	196 (First Class Medal) 4,152 (Second Class Medal) 31,098 (Third Class Medal)

Order of Independence and Freedom (Chinese: 独立自由勋章; pinyin: Dúlì Zìyóu Xūnzhāng) was a military award from the People's Republic of China. It was created in 1955, to give recognition to men who distinguished themselves "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity" in combat with an enemy of China in the Second Sino-Japanese War.^[1][2] There are three grades: First Class, Second Class, and Third Class.^[3]

Pattern

Service Ribbon

• 
  1st Class
• 
  2nd Class
• 
  3rd Class

Notable recipients

• Ten Marshals: Zhu De, Peng Dehuai, Lin Biao, Liu Bocheng, He Long, Chen Yi, Luo Ronghuan, Xu Xiangqian, Nie Rongzhen, Ye Jianying.
• Ten Senior Generals: Su Yu, Xu Haidong, Huang Kecheng, Chen Geng, Tan Zheng, Xiao Jinguang, Zhang Yunyi, Luo Ruiqing, Wang Shusheng, Xu Guangda.
• General officer: Song Renqiong, Xiao Ke, Xu Shiyou, Li Kenong, Huang Yongsheng, etc.
• Lieutenant general: Ding Qiusheng, Wang Jinshan, Wang Enmao, etc.
• Major general: Han Dongshan, Sun Chaoqun, Yang Yongsong, Yuan Kefu, etc.

References

• 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