The order consisted of five classes, the first three of which were divided into three grades.

• First Class, First Grade: for emperors and kings of foreign nations.
• First Class, Second Grade: for princes, and royal family members and relatives (later limited to royal family members who had earned, and not inherited, senior positions in government).
• First Class, Third Grade: for ministers of who had inherited their position, general ministers, and diplomatic envoys of the first rank.
• Second Class, First Grade: for diplomatic envoys of the second rank.
• Second Class, Second Grade: for diplomatic envoys of the third rank and customs commissioners.
• Second Class, Third Grade: for counselors of the first rank, consul-generals and military generals.
• Third Class, First Grade: for counselors of the second and third rank, the entourage of consul-generals, and second-tier military officers.
• Third Class, Second Grade: for deputy consuls, and third-tier military officers.
• Third Class, Third Grade: for translators and military officers of the fourth and fifth tiers.
• Fourth Class: for soldiers and non-commissioned officers.
• Fifth Class: for businessmen and traders.