Chinese order awarded to Admiral of the Fleet, Earl David Beatty, GCB (1871-1936) in 1920. Badge: Eight-pointed gold star on which is superimposed a cross patonce of twelve points in gold, enamelled red with yellow borders. In the centre on a white enamel field, five green and gold ears of wheat set in a circular pattern around a central ruby and encircled by a yellow band in which are set seventeen small rubies. Reverse: Chinese inscription. Suspended by a green and yellow enamelled wreath from a sash of red ribbon edged with yellow. Star: Similar to badge but larger. Three pin fastening on reverse.

According to Chinese sources, the ‘Order of Golden Grain’ was established in 1916 by the Nationalist Government in Beijing.

Beatty entered the navy in 1884 at the age of 13, training in ‘Britannia.’ He commanded a gunboat on the Nile during Kitchener's re-conquest of the Sudan, gaining the D.S.O. and early promotion to commander. He served in ‘Barfleur’ during the Boxer Rebellion, leading reinforcements to Tientsin and Hsiku. He was wounded during this operation. In 1910 he was promoted Rear-Admiral at an exceptionally early age. In 1912 Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, appointed him his naval secretary. During the First World War he commanded the battle-cruiser fleet based on Rosyth in HMS ‘Lion’ He achieved a decisive victory at Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914. During an action in the area of Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915, the ‘Blucher’ was sunk but the remaining German ships escaped. Beatty led the battle-cruiser fleet at Jutland 31 May 1916 - the only major naval action of the war. In 1916 he succeeded Jellicoe as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and after the war, was First Sea Lord from 1919-1927.