Tien (Vietnam)

Tien are Vietnamese decorations. They are of two types, in the form of beads and coins.

An old form of Tien consists of colored coral beads, which were a decoration in the Empire of Vietnam. The right to wear these beads was granted by the Emperor to deserving courtiers and administrators. The high decoration called the Order of Khim Khanh [Orde van Khim Khanh] and the Ladies’ Order of Kim Boi [Damesorde Kim Boi] take the form of multicolored Tien on silk cords.

The Kim Boi, established in 1889 by Emperor Thanh-Thai (1889–1907) as a ladies’ order and counterpart to the older Kim Khanh, which was reserved for men, had six Tien on the silk cords for the 1st Class, 1st Grade, and four Tien for the 1st Class, 2nd Grade.

Vietnamese coins were also used as Tien for centuries. They were pierced and threaded onto the cord from which the Khanh was worn. Later emperors replaced this tradition with coins attached by a soldered ring to a European-style ribbon.

The wearing of Tien in the form of coins was reformed by Emperor Minh Mang (1820–1841).