Part of the “History of National Flags” Series from Flagmakers

Flag of China - A Brief History

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Trivia

The Flag of China is also called the Five-Star Red Flag.

Technical Specification

Adopted: 27th September 1949

Proportion: 2:3

Design: A plain red field with large gold five-pointed star surrounded by an ark of four small five-pointed starts in the top left corner.

Colours: PMS Red: 186 Yellow: 102

Brief History

One of the first flags used in China was that of the Qing Dynasty. Taking the dragon symbol from the Chinese constellations it featured an Azure Dragon on a yellow background with a red sun. originally a triangular flag used on naval ships and international occasions in 1889 it became an official rectangular flag.

The Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1862 – 1890

The Flag of the Qing Dynasty (1889 – 1912)

When China became a republic in 1912 a new “Five-coloured flag” was adopted. It featured red, yellow, blue, white and black horizontal bands representing each of the five races in Chinese history. Between late 1915 and early 1916 there was an attempt to reinstate the monarchy to the Empire of China. The flag used for this short period was made up of yellow-black-blue-white triangles with a red X in the centre.

The Flag of the Republic of China (1912 – 1928)

The Flag of the Empire of China (1915 – 1916)

There was also a variant flag used for the Empire of China, it was a red Cross with yellow rectangle top left, black rectangle top right, blue rectangle lower left and a white rectangle lower right. The Five colour flag of the Republic of China was reinstated in 1916. The flag was officially changed in 1928 to that of a plain red field featuring a blue rectangle in the top left corner inside of which is a white sun with 12 rays. In China is described as blue sky, white sun and red earth.

The Flag of the Empire of China (1915 – 1916)

The Flag of the Republic of China (1928 – 1949)

In 1931 China became part of the Soviet Republic a new flag was adopted. It featured the national symbol that was made up of a globe, black hammer and sickle and laurel on a plain red field. There was also a flag flown in the Jiangxi Soviet republic that featured a yellow hammer and sickle with a symbol saying Chinese and communist.

The Flag of the Chinese Soviet Republic (1931 -1934)

The Flag of Jiangxi Soviet Republic (1931 – 1934)

The blue sky, white sun and red earth flag of the Republic of China was reinstated in 1934 and removed in 1949. This flag is still the national flag of Taiwan. In 1933 the Fujian Province of China became the People’s Revolutionary Government of the Republic of China. This short-lived government featured a red-blue horizontal bicolour with five-pointed yellow star in the centre.

In 1949 the five star red flag was adopted as the national flag of the People’s Republic of China. It features a plain red field with large gold five-pointed star surrounded by an ark of four small five-pointed starts in the top left corner. The flag was chosen from a competition with 38 finalists. The flag is similar to the flag of the Communist Party of China

The People’s Revolutionary Government of the Republic of China

(1933 – 1934)

The Flag of the People’s Republic of China (1949 to Present Day)

The National Emblem of the People’s Republic of China

The National Emblem of the People’s Republic of China was adopted in 1950. The emblem features the Tiananmen Gate on a red background with a large yellow five-pointed star above four smaller yellow five-pointed stars. The yellow border is made of wheat with a cogwheel in the lower part. The emblem symbolises the Chinese people’s Struggle

The Flag of the Communist Party of China

The flag of the Communist Part of China was a plain red field with yellow hammer and sickle in the top left portion. The Communist party of China is the current ruling political party.

The Flags of Military of China

Each flag of the People’s Liberation Army features a plain red field with gold star and symbol for Communist and China. The ground force flag has a green band, the Navy features five contrasting blue and white stripes and the aifr force has a sky blue band. The Flag of the Ministry of National Defence Republic of China Armed Forces is a orange field with wings, anchor, crossed gun and sword with flowers and white sun with 12 rays. The flag of the Republic of China Army is a blue field with thick red border and white sun and rays. The Republic of China Navy flag is a plain blue field with white sun and rays. The Republic of China Air Force is a sky blue field with wings, flowers and blue circle and white sun and rays. The Republic of China Marine Corps flag

is a red field, anchor, globe, map of china and blue circle with white sun and rays. The Republic of China Military Police flag is a green filed with flowers and blue circle with white sun and rays.

The Flag of the people’s Liberation Army

The Flag of the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force

The Ensign of the People’s Liberation Army Navy

The Flag of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force

The Flag of the Ministry of National Defence Republic of China Armed Forces

The Republic of China Army

The Flag of the Republic of China Navy

The Flag of the Republic of China Air Force

The Flag of the Republic of China Marine Corps

The Flag of the Republic of China Military Police

The Flags of the Special Administrative Regions of the People’s Republic of China

The Flag of Hong Kong was adopted in 1990 and officially used in the hand over ceremony from the British to the Chinese in 1997. It features a red field with white Hong Kong orchid in the centre. The Flag of Macau was adopted in 1993 and first flown in 1999 during the handover from the Portuguese to China. It features a light green field with white lotus flower and five five-pointed gold stars.

The Flag of Hong Kong (1990 to Present Day)

The Flag of Macau (1993 to Present Day)

The Historical Flags of the British Colony of Hong Kong and Weihaiwei

The Flags of the British Colony of Hong Kong all featured the blue British Ensign with Union Flag on the top left corner; originally the circle on the right corner featured a crown and “H.K.”. In 1876 the white circle was replaced with a local waterfront scene. In 1959 the coat of arms of Hong Kong replaced the waterfront scene. The Flag of the British Concession of Weihaiwei features a British Blue Ensign with a circle depicting two mandarin ducks standing on a beach.

The Flag of the British Colony of

Hong Kong (1870 – 1876) The Flag of the British Colony of

Hong Kong (1876 – 1910) The Flag of the British Colony of

Hong Kong ( 1910 – 1959)

The Flag of the British Colony of Hong Kong (1959 – 1997)

The Flag of the British Concession of Weihaiwei (1903 – 1930)

The Historical Flags of the Portuguese Colony of Macau

The Flag of Portugal was used as the colonial flag of Macau when it was under the Portuguese control.

The Flag of Portual

(1670 – 1830) The Flag of Portugal

(1830 – 1911) The Flag of Portugal

(1911 – 1999)

The Proposed Flags of China

There was a contest to find the flag of china, with over 38 finalists chosen. Zeng Liansong designed the flag chosen. Here are some examples of the proposed flags.