PA02 MEDAL OF CIVIL AND MILITARY MANDARINS
  Médaille des Mandarins Civils et Militaires
three classes - proposed on December 21, 1885
  For: Mandarins as a badge of rank of Western medal style to replace the Bài
  Design: not fixed
    Obverse: four characters “Ðông-Khánh Sắc-Tứ” (Bestowed by Ðông-Khánh);
    Reverse: title or grade of bearer in French
  Ribbon: tricolor, but colors not fixed

In his account of this projected medal Lepage says that the General Roussel de Courcy, the Resident General of Annam and Tonkin, proposed on October 7, 1885, to the court that civil and military mandarins wear sashes colored according to rank. The French, unable to read the Chinese characters on the Bài, could not distinguish the ranks of the mandarins they were dealing with. The Có-Mật, loath to adopt this radical change in the dress of the mandarins, but also not wishing to displease the General, proposed instead Western style medals in gold and silver to replace the Bài. The cost of purchasing them would be borne by the bearer.  General de Courcy, however, was transferred at that point, and the project, to the Có-Mật’s relief, was stillborn.