Charles Gesner van der Voort (1916-1991) worked at Holland-China Trading Company (HCHC), with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin (Tianjin), Rotterdam and London. At the start of the company, in 1903, Willem Kien (1877-1970) started to work for HCHC in Shanghai and Hong Kong, later becoming director. In 1921 he left China and became director at the Rotterdam head office.
In 1920, Willem Kien received the shown decoration.
The Netherlands State Gazette of 29 June 1920 included the following (translation Pieter Lommerse):
"By Royal resolution of 7 June 1920 No 112, the following persons are allowed to accept the decorations mentioned behind their names, issued to them by foreign Heads of State:
...
W. Kien, head representative in China of Holland-China Trading Company in Shanghai, 4th Class Order of the Rice Blade of China." Source: Delpher.nl, Royal Dutch Library.
Courtesy E. Müller, <a href="http://onderscheidingen.nl/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">onderscheidingen.nl/</a>
Courtesy Kien family archives
Any comments are welcome. Can anyone please help translate the Chinese characters?
Source: This image came from Flickr, see https://flickr.com/photo.gne?id=49840902871