Flag of China

Quick Facts: Who was Flag of China?

Subject:

Flag of China

Known for:

The national flag of the PRC, featuring five golden stars on a red field.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The national flag of the People's Republic of China is a Chinese red field with five golden stars charged at the canton. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in an arc set off towards the fly. The five stars and their relationships to each other represent the unity of the Chinese people, symbolized by four smaller stars, under the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), symbolized by the large star. The red represents the Chinese Communist Revolution. It is commonly called the "Five-star Red Flag" in China.

Career & Major Achievements

China's first national flag, called the Yellow Dragon Flag, was adopted by the Qing dynasty in 1862, featuring an Azure Dragon on a plain yellow field with a flaming red pearl in the upper left corner. On 10 January 1912, after the Xinhai Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China, the Five-Colored Flag was adopted as the national flag by the Beiyang government, featuring five colored stripes representing the five major ethnic groups in China. After the Kuomintang overthrew the Beiyang government in the Northern Expedition, a flag consisting of a red field with a blue canton bearing a white disk surrounded by twelve triangles was adopted as China's national flag. The Five-star Red Flag was adopted as the national flag of China upon the proclamation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949. The flag was designed by Zeng Liansong, and approved by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The flag was first hoisted by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) on a pole overlooking Beijing's Tiananmen Square on 1 October 1949, at a ceremony proclaiming the establishment of the People's Republic of China. According to the official interpretation of the flag, the red background symbolizes the Chinese Communist Revolution. The five stars and their relationship represents the unity of the "whole Chinese people" led by the Chinese Communist Party. According to China Daily, the orientation of the stars "represent all hearts of millions of the people toward [the] great Communist Party of China". At its conception, the larger star symbolized the CCP, and the four smaller stars symbolized the four social classes of China's New Democracy mentioned in Mao Zedong's "On the People's Democratic Dictatorship": the working class, the peasantry, the urban petite bourgeoisie, and the national bourgeoisie.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1862: 1862 Milestone — China's first national flag, called the Yellow Dragon Flag, was adopted by the Qing dynasty in 1862, featuring an Azure Dragon on a plain yellow field with a flaming red pearl in the upper left corner.
2. 1912: 1912 Milestone — On 10 January 1912, after the Xinhai Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China, the Five-Colored Flag was adopted as the national flag by the Beiyang government, featuring five colored stripes representing the five major ethnic groups in China.
3. 1949: 1949 Milestone — The Five-star Red Flag was adopted as the national flag of China upon the proclamation of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Flag of China

True or False: “Did the initial design for the People's Republic of China flag feature five colored stripes representing major ethnic groups?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The initial flag adopted by the Beiyang government featured five colored stripes; however, the modern Five-star Red Flag does not use this representation.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Andrew Fisher — Historical peer (Born in 1862) (1862): Australian Labor Party leader and Prime Minister of Australia (1862–1928).
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• A. E. van Vogt — Historical peer (Born in 1912) (1912): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Abubakar Tafawa Balewa — Historical peer (Born in 1912) (1912): First and only Prime Minister of Nigeria, a dominant figure in the nation's independence.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Historical peer (Born in 1949) (1949): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances and masterful impersonation.
• Alan García — Historical peer (Born in 1949) (1949): Controversial Peruvian politician who served two non-consecutive terms as President of Peru.

Frequently Asked Questions about Flag of China