The Flag of China - Description of the Chinese Flag
As the above picture of the Chinese Flag indicates the overall background is Red
The description of the Chinese Flag is as follows:
red with a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars (arranged in a vertical arc toward the middle of the flag) in the upper hoist-side corner
According to Ancient and Heraldic traditions much symbolism is associated with colors. The colors on the Chinese flag represent the following:
Red - The Red Earth and the color which is the well known symbol of communism
All Flag pictures depict flags flying, from the viewer's point of view, from left to right
The shape and flag ratio of the Chinese flag is described as 2:3 ( length 1½ times the height )
The upper left quarter of the flag is called the Canton and pictures a large yellow five-pointed star and four smaller yellow five-pointed stars which are believed to represent the four classes - the peasants, the workers, the petty bourgeoisie and the patriotic capitalists
The Meaning & History of the Chinese Flag - The Chinese flag originally had a hammer and sickle embedded within the largest star which represented the unity of the Communist Party combined with the strength of the government and its people
Flag Terminology - Did you Know ?
The design and description uses specific flag terminology based on Heraldic principles
Animal blazons should always appear with the heads facing the flag - staff side
The Study of the Flags is called Vexillology
Your interest in flags makes you a Vexillologist!
Increase your knowledge - Play the Flag Quiz
Flag History & Evolution:
The idea of flying a flag grew from the requirements of ancient warfare and the battlefield
Shields were painted with emblems to identify Friend or Foe
Warriors needed to know where their leaders were - the custom of carrying a pole was adopted
An emblem such as a shield, animal or religious device was attached to the pole for identification
The emblems were also used for identity and to cover suits of armour - Coats of Arms were born
These emblems were the forerunners of modern flags
The Romans were the first to use a cloth flag - they were square and fastened to cross bars at the end of spears - the idea of fastening a flag to the side of a pole soon followed
The strict rules of Heraldry are still used when designing an emblem and creating a modern flag
Chinese Flag Etiquette
Chinese Flag etiquette is very strict and is is essential that Flag protocols and rules are followed correctly
Basic Flag Etiquette applies to all nations, including Chinese as follows:
Etiquette relating to the order of precedence for the flag
National Flag of Chinese
State Flag of Chinese
Military Flag of Chinese (in order of creation date)
Other Flag of Chinese
The United Nations uses alphabetical order when presenting a national flag including the Chinese Flag. Their flag etiquette ensures that no one country's flag has precedence over another country's flag
The National flag of Chinese should never be flown above another national flag on the same staff as this would suggest superiority, or conversely, inferiority of one flag, or Nation, over another
The Chinese flag should never be allowed to drag along the ground
A tattered or faded flag of Chinese should be removed and replaced with a new flag
Due care and consideration must be taken to ensure that the Chinese flag is always flown the correct way up
A Flag of Chinese, when in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning in private with all due care and respect
Terminology & Etiquette in Chinese Flag display
Hoist - the act or function of raising the Chinese flag, as on a rope
Half Staff or Half Mast - the Chinese flag is hoisted to half of the potential height of the flag pole to denote grief and mourning
Performed by first raising the Chinese flag to the top, then lowering the Chinese Flag halfway
Distress - denoted by flying the Chinese flag upside-down
Manner of hoisting - The Chinese flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously
No disrespect should be shown to the Chinese flag
The Chinese flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit the Flag to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way
The Chinese flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing on the flag of any nature
The Chinese flag should be hoisted first and lowered last
International Flag relating to Chinese Flag usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding Chinese Flag Etiquette has provided a useful resource.
China
Location:
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Land Size of China : 9,326,410 sq km
Climate / Weather of China : extremely diverse; tropical in south to sub-arctic in north
Chinese Population : 1,298,847,624 (July 2004 est.)
Chinese Capital City: Beijing
Chinese GDP: $6.449 trillion (2003 est.)
Main Industries : iron and steel, coal, machine building, armaments, textiles and apparel, petroleum, cement, chemical fertilizers, footwear, toys, food processing, automobiles, consumer electronics, telecommunications
Chinese Currency : yuan (CNY) - also referred to as the Renminbi (RMB)
Main Colors of the Chinese Flag : Red
Concise History of China & its Flag
10,000 BC - The Chinese civilization emerged from two Stone Age cultures of the Yangshao and the Longshan
1766-1122 BC The Shang dynasty
1122-256 BC The Shang dynasty collapsed and was replaced by the Zhou dynasty
500 BC Chinese philosopher Confucius ( 551-479 BC ) introduced new moral and political standards
221 BC Shi Huangdi became the first emperor of China when the Qin empire was established
202 BC The Han dynasty
8 AD - The Xin dynasty controlled by Wang Mang was established
25 AD - 220 AD The Han dynasty regained control of China and Buddhism was introduced
220 - 581 AD The period known as the "Six Dynasties" when various tribes took control of China
581-618 The Sui dynasty took control
618 - 907 The Tang dynasty
907 - 960 "Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms" all struggled to gain control of China
960 - 1279 The Song dynasty
1200s The Mongols led by Kublai Khan (1214-1294) invaded China
1279 The Mongol dynasty of Yuan under Kublai Khan took control of China
1275-1292 Marco Polo (1254-1324) travelled through China, his journey lasted 24 years
1277 Kublai Khan appointed Marco Polo as an official of the Privy Council
1295 Marco Polo returns to Venice
1368 The Chinese rebelled and ousted the Mongol leadership and the Ming dynasty began its rule
1500s European traders started journeys to China for the Chinese silks and spices - Europeans were viewed as Barbarians
1644 The Manchurians invaded China and set up the Qing dynasty (1681-1796)
1839 - The Opium War broke out and the victors were Great Britain
1842 The Treaty of Nanjing ended the Opium War and Hong Kong was given to Great Britain
1890s Chinese opposition, led by the Boxers, to Western and Christian influences in China
1900 The Empress Dowager Tsu Hsi encouraged the Boxer Rebellion which was defeated by Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, America and Russia
14 October 1911 Revolution in China forcing the abdication of the last Chinese emperor, six-year-old Henry Pu-Yi
December 1911 - The Republic of China was established
12 February 1912 - The abdication of the last Chinese emperor Henry Pu-Yi and the war lords took control
1922 The republic failed due to Civil war
1919 Sun Yat-sen began to reorganize the Nationalist Party with help from the Soviet Union
1925 Chiang Kai-shek became the new leader of the Nationalists on the death of Sun
12 December 1927 Communists forces seized Canton and over the years set up 15 Communist bases
1934 Chiang Kai-shek forced the communists to evacuate
13 December 1937 Japan attacked China
8 December 1941 China joined the Allies in World War II
August 1945 War ended with Japan
1946 Fighting broke out between the Nationalist and the Communists
January 1949 Mao Zedong pushed the nationalists to southern China and proclaimed the People's Republic of China and Chiang Kai-shek fled to Taiwan
1949-1952 The Communists establish control
1966 The Cultural Revolution started instigating civil unrest
1967 Mao ordered the army to restore order and the Communists began to regain control
19 September 1984 The United Kingdom and China signed an agreement that would return Hong Kong to China
18 May 1989 In China a million protestors demanding freedom of speech filled Tiananmen Square, Peking
2 June 1989 Another non-violent protest in Tiananmen Square when more than 100 students and other civilians were killed when Chinese soldiers opened fire
1 July 1997 Hong Kong became a part of China
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The Chinese Flag and Nation
We hope that the presentation of facts and information regarding the Chinese Flag and Country has provided a useful educational resource. To improve your knowledge of Flags and Vexillology still further check out the Flags and Nations Index and test your knowledge with our interactive, multi-choice, picture-based Flag Trivia Quiz Game - it's fast and it's fun! If you answer all questions correctly you will earn the right to enter the Vexillologist Hall of Fame!
