Order of the Golden Ruler
{{Short description|Award of the Korean Empire}}
{{Infobox award
|name=Order of the Golden Ruler
대훈위 금척대수장
大勳位金尺大綬章
| image = Order of the Gold cheok.jpg
| image_size =
|presenter=the Korean Empire
|type=Dynastic order
|eligibility=Civilians and military, Korean and foreign, with rank/status determining which grade one received
|awarded_for=Merit
|status=Obsolete
|established=April 17, 1897(in Korea)
|higher=None
|lower=Order of the Auspicious Stars}}
The Order of the Golden Ruler or the Order of the Taejo was the highest Order of chivalry in the Korean Empire. It was established on 17 April 1897 by Gojong of Korea, four years after he established the Korean Empire.
History
In the summer of 1897, Gojong of Korea began to consider creating orders for his newly-established empire. For inspiration, he had considered a European-style model.{{Cite web|title=조선왕조실록|url=http://sillok.history.go.kr/id/kza_13704017_003|access-date=2021-12-03|website=sillok.history.go.kr}} He formally established the order on 17 April 1897. The highest rank of the order, the Grand Cordon, was first awarded to Gojong of Korea, Sunjong of Korea, and Yi Un. Gojong named the order for a dream Taejo of Joseon claimed to have, which inspired him to establish Joseon. Gojong also stated that the award of the order was "happily" intended for those who served Korea.{{clarify|date=December 2021}}
The first foreigner to receive the order was Prince Henry of Prussia on 20 March 1904. He received it during his visit to the Korean Empire, an exchange typically observed for foreign heads of state. Over ten years, 27 foreigners were named to the Order.
Recipients received a pension of 600~1,000 Won annually or a one-time payment of 2,000 Won{{Cite book|last=이 |first=강칠|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TahxAAAAIAAJ&q=%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%EC%A0%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%8B%9C%EB%8C%80+%ED%9B%88%EC%9E%A5%EC%A0%9C%EB%8F%84|title=대한제국시대훈장제도|date=1999|publisher=白山出版社|isbn=978-89-7739-259-5|pages=113|language=ko}} It is regarded that the order was awarded to too many recipients for its intended degree of honor.{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=[박종인의 땅의 역사]망국 대한제국에는 훈장이 발에 걸리도록 많았다|url=https://www.chosun.com/opinion/2021/01/27/3OXP6WFIZVCOLFQZUVZTBCBDAQ/|access-date=2021-12-03|website=The Chosun Ilbo|language=ko}}{{clarify|date=December 2021}}
Form
File:Order of the Gold cheok 02.jpg
File:Gojong of the Korean Empire 02.jpg
"The badge is composed of a Badge and a Medal. The material of the suit jacket (章) is gold, and the diameter is 2 chi (寸) and 5 pun (分), which is 7.5 cm. With the blue-and-red Taegeuk wrapped in gold line as the center, the golden rulers placed per cross and white rays extend from the golden ruler as the axis, and three white oyster flowers are arranged in each ray between the rays. Badge included Daesu, which is wore from right shoulder to left side. Medal is just the same as the badge but its perimeter is 6cm."{{Cite book|last=이 |first=강칠|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TahxAAAAIAAJ&q=%EB%8C%80%ED%95%9C%EC%A0%9C%EA%B5%AD%EC%8B%9C%EB%8C%80+%ED%9B%88%EC%9E%A5%EC%A0%9C%EB%8F%84|title=대한제국시대훈장제도|date=1999|publisher=白山出版社|isbn=978-89-7739-259-5|pages=91–92|language=ko}} The reverse of the badge have the inspection '金尺大勳' (금척대훈).
Recipients
{{Main article|Recipients of the Order of the Golden Ruler}}