When a decoration is to be bestowed on a person, the medal for merit corresponding to the decoration was bestowed on the recipient at first (bestowal of an order,) and then the decoration corresponding to the medal of merit was bestowed (awarding of a decoration.)
勲章の授与にあたっては、まず相応の勲等に叙した上（叙勲）で勲等に相当する勲章が贈られることとされた（授章）。