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The existing Hong Kong honours system was created after the sovereignty of Hong Kong was transferred to the People's Republic of China as a special administrative region in 1997. Before that, Hong Kong was a British dependent territory and followed the British honours system with the Order of the British Empire.
Types of awards
General awards
The Grand Bauhinia Medal (大紫荊勳章) the highest award under the HKSAR honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's life-long and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style The Honourable. (Bauhinia, Bauhinia blakeana, is the floral emblem of Hong Kong.)
The Order of the Bauhinia Star has three classes (postnominal in parenthesis): the Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS; 金紫荊星章), the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS, 銀紫荊星章), and the Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS, 銅紫荊星章).
The Gold Bauhinia Star (GBS) is awarded to eminent persons who have given very distinguished services to the community or who have rendered public or voluntary services of a very high degree of merit.
The Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) is awarded to persons who have taken a leading part in public affairs and/or voluntary work over a long period of time.
The Bronze Bauhinia Star (BBS) is awarded to persons who have given outstanding service over a long period of time, but in a more limited field or way than that required for the Silver Bauhinia Star.
Bravery awards
The Order of the Medal for Bravery is awarded for display of bravery in an incident. The Medal for Bravery (Gold) (金英勇勳章; postnominal MBG) is the highest in this order. There is also Medal for Bravery (Silver) (銀英勇勳章; MBS) and Medal for Bravery (Bronze) (銅英勇勳章; MBB).
Disciplined Services and ICAC Awards
The Disciplined Services and ICAC Awards are awarded to officers of the 'disciplined formations' (similar to uniformed services elsewhere) and the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC). The awardees are not allowed postnominals.
Order of precedence
The order of precedence is listed as follows in postnominals: GBM, GBS, MBG, SBS, MBS, BBS, MBB, MH, JP.
Nomination and awarding
The nomination is usually made by SAR Government departments, and evaluated by the Honours Committee. The annual Honours List is published in the Gazette of the SAR Government on the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day (1 July).
Justice of the peace
See also Justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace (太平紳士; postnominal JP) is a title of honour given by the Government to community leaders, and to certain officials while they are in their terms of offices. Official Justices of the Peace (官守太平紳士) is usually refer to those who is both a government official and a Justice of the Peace. The others may be referred as Non-Official Justice of the Peace (非官守太平紳士). For a personnel who is related to the New Territories, the Chief Secretary for Administration may appoint him as a New Territories Justice of the Peace (新界太平紳士).
Justices of the Peace have no judicial functions, and their main duties include visiting prisons *, administering statutory declarations, to serve any advisory panels, and other functions that are imposed by the Chief Executive.
See also
- List of people with Hong Kong SAR honours since 1997
- Other honours systems:
- British honours system - formerly granted in Hong Kong and ceased after 1997. Honour members can continue to carry the titles, but not officially recognized in Hong Kong by the government after 1997.
- Australian Honours System
- Order of Precedence
External links
- Honours and Awards -- Protocol Division of the Hong Kong SAR
- Recipients of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Honours and Awards
- order of precedence in Hong Kong
"Hong Kong honours system"