China Flag Meaning

Symbolism

History

1. 1949: Flag adopted on October 1, 1949, when Mao Zedong proclaimed the establishment of the People's Republic of China in Tiananmen Square.
2. July 1949: Zeng Liansong's design was selected from nearly 3,000 submissions in a national competition for the new flag of the People's Republic.
3. Original Design: Zeng's original submission included a yellow horizontal stripe across the flag, but this was removed by the selection committee.
4. 1950s-1960s: Flag became a symbol of Chinese nationalism and communist ideology during the early years of the People's Republic.
5. Cultural Revolution (1966-1976): The flag took on additional political significance during the Cultural Revolution as a symbol of revolutionary fervor and loyalty to Chairman Mao.

Trivia

• Designer Zeng Liansong was an economist and artist from Rui'an, Zhejiang Province, who won 5 million yuan for his winning design.
• The original design submission was called 'Red Ground with Five Stars' and was chosen from 2,992 entries.
• Each star has five points, and the four smaller stars each have one point directed toward the center of the large star.
• The flag was first raised in Tiananmen Square at exactly 3:00 PM on October 1, 1949, during the founding ceremony.
• The proportions and exact positioning of the stars are precisely defined by law, with specific measurements for official flags.
• During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the flag was prominently displayed and became a symbol of China's emergence as a global power.
• The flag is sometimes referred to as the 'Five-star Red Flag' (五星红旗) in Chinese.
• Unlike many communist flags, China's flag has remained unchanged since 1949, representing continuity of the People's Republic.
• The flag must be displayed at half-mast on National Memorial Day (December 13) to commemorate victims of the Nanjing Massacre.