First China War Medal

China War Medal
Obverse and reverse of the medal.
Awarded by the United Kingdom
Type	Campaign medal
Eligibility	British forces
Awarded for	Campaign service
Campaign(s)	First Anglo-Chinese War (1839–42)
Description	Silver disk, 36mm diameter.
Clasps	None
Statistics
Established	1843
Ribbon. 35mm: crimson with yellow edges

The China War Medal was issued by the British Government in 1843 to members of the British and Indian forces who took part in the First Anglo-Chinese War (1839–42). The medal was designed by William Wyon.

The China War Medal was originally intended by the Governor-General of India, in October 1842, to be awarded exclusively to all ranks of the Honourable East India Company's Forces. Instead, in 1843, under the direction of Queen Victoria, the British Government authorised its award to all members of the British Army, Royal Navy and the Indian Army and Navy, who had belonged to units that had "served with distinction" in China between 5 July 1840 and 29 August 1842. The award covered the following actions:

This campaign became known as the First Opium War, ending in the seizure of Nanking. The resultant treaty opened five ports to trade, and ceded Hong Kong to Great Britain.

Obverse: the diademed head of Queen Victoria with the legend "VICTORIA REGINA".
Reverse: a shield bearing the Royal coat of arms with a palm tree and trophy of arms behind, with the inscription "ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACIM" above and "CHINA 1842" in the exergue below.

This reverse design was also used for the Second and Third China War Medals.

The First China War Medal's reverse was originally designed depicting the British lion trampling on the fallen Chinese dragon. However, this was considered too insensitive to the Chinese and so the reverse described above was used, although a number of specimens of the first type were made.