List of Chinese flags
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of flags of entities named or related to "China".
People's Republic of China
National flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 October 1949 – present | Flag of the People's Republic of China[1] | A red field, with a large gold star with four smaller stars towards the fly at the canton. This flag is flown in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau. |
Special administrative regions flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 1997 – present | Flag of Hong Kong[2] | On a red field, a white stylised Bauhinia blakeana flower. Each of the five petals bears a red five pointed star. The red field and red stars echo Hong Kong's connection to the mainland and the flower represents the harmony of the unique identity of the region. | |
| 20 December 1999 – present | Flag of Macau[3][4] | On a green field, a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars. |
Military flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948–present | Flag of the People's Liberation Army[5] | A red field with a yellow star at the canton, and the Chinese numerals for "8" and "1", the date of the PLA's establishment on August 1, 1927. | |
| 1992–present | Ensign of the People's Liberation Army Ground Force[5] | The PLA flag with a green stripe at the bottom, representing the ground. | |
| 1950s | Jack of the People's Liberation Army Navy[6] | A red flag with the PLA emblem and a horizontal blue stripe in the center. | |
| 1992–present | Ensign of the People's Liberation Army Navy[5] | The PLA flag with five horizontal lines at the bottom, three blue and two white, representing the sea. | |
| Ensign of the People's Liberation Army Air Force[5] | The PLA flag with a blue stripe at the bottom, representing the sky. | ||
| 2016–present | Ensign of the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force[7][8] | The PLA flag with a gold yellow stripe at the bottom, representing the flare of missile launching. | |
| 2018–present | Flag of the People's Armed Police Force[9] | The PLA flag with three green bars at the bottom. | |
| 2024–present | Flag of the People's Liberation Army Aerospace Force | ||
| 2024–present | Flag of the People's Liberation Army Cyberspace Force | ||
| 2024–present | Flag of the People's Liberation Army Information Support Force |
Civil flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949–present | Flags of the Young Pioneers of China[10] | Red flag with a yellow five-pointed star and torch in the middle. | |
| 1922–present | Flag of the Communist Youth League of China[11] | Red flag with encircled yellow five-pointed star in the canton. | |
| 1950s–present | Flag of the Customs of the People's Republic of China[12] | The flag of the People's Republic of China with a caduceus crossed with a golden key added to the lower fly. | |
| 2018–present | Flag of the China Fire and Rescue Service[13] | Horizontal bicolor flag in red and blue with the badge of the China Fire and Rescue Service at the top and the Chinese and English text "Flag of China Fire and Rescue" at the bottom. | |
| 2020–present | Flag of the People's Police of the People's Republic of China[14] | Red flag with a blue stripe in the bottom and the badge of the People's Police in the canton. | |
| ?–present | Flag of the China Maritime Safety Administration | ||
| 2021–present | Flag of the National Immigration Administration of China[15] | Red flag with the organization's logo in the center and a blue crenellated wall at the bottom. | |
| 1945–1979 [citation needed] |
Flag of Inner-Mongolian Autonomous Government[16] | A red five-pointed star above a hoe and a horse pole that are crossed, symbolizing the unity of farmers and herdsmen in Inner Mongolia under the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed] |
City flags
Political flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–present | Flag of the Chinese Communist Party[18] | A red flag with the golden emblem of the Chinese Communist Party.[18] | |
| 1921–1996 | |||
| 1927–1964 | Flag of the Chinese Peasants' Association | The Plough flag, a yellow plough on a red field. | |
| 1925–1953 | Flag of the China Party for Public Interest | A red field with a stylized white "井" in a blue canton. |
Flags of Political Groups and Separatist Movements
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008–2009 | Flag of the Maoist Communist Party of China | Red flag featuring a portrait of young Mao Zedong in the upper hoist. | |
| 1989 | Flag of the Beijing Students' Autonomous Federation[19][better source needed] | A flag created by students present during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests. | |
| 1997–present | Flag of the Inner Mongolian People's Party | ||
| 1959–present | Flag of the Central Tibetan Administration | Same as the previous flag of Tibet. | |
| 1933–present | The Kök Bayraq, flag of the East Turkestan independence movement | First adopted as the flag of the First East Turkestan Republic (1933–1934). Now also used by the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile. | |
| 1988–present | Flags of the Turkistan Islamic Party |
Proposed national flags of the People's Republic of China
In July 1949, a contest was announced for a national flag for the newly founded People's Republic of China (PRC). From a total of about 3,000 proposed designs, 38 finalists were chosen. In September, the current flag, submitted by Zeng Liansong, was officially adopted, with the hammer and sickle removed.[20]
Alternative proposals
- Zeng Liansong's original proposal for the PRC flag[21]
- Mao Zedong's proposal for the PRC flag symbolizing the Yellow River[22]
- Proposal 2 for the PRC flag symbolizing the Yellow River and the Yangtze River
- Proposal 3 for the PRC flag symbolizing the Yellow River, the Yangtze River and the Pearl River
- Proposal 4 for the PRC flag
Selection of proposals
- Design by Ai Qing
- Design by Bao Qiquan
- Design by Chen Duo
- Design by Chen Lu
- Design by Guo Moruo
- Design by Guo Moruo
- Design by Hu Yuanqing
- Design by Jiang Dazhong
- Design by Kang Jian
- Design by Liang Congjie
- Design by Luo Wen
- Design by Mo Hongshu
- Design by Mo Zongjiang
- Design by Pang Xunqin
- Design by Wu Yuzhang
- Design by Wu Yuzhang
- Design by Xiao Shufang
- Design by Xiao Shufang
- Design by Xiao Shuhua
- Design by Xiao Shuhua
- Design by Yan Xinghua
- Design by Yang Taiyang
- Design by Yang Taiyang
- Design by Yu Zhuosheng
- Design by Zhang Ding and Zhong Ling
- Design by Zhang Ding and Zhong Ling
- Design by Zhang Ding and Zhong Ling
- Design by Zhang Ding and Zhong Ling
- Design by Zhang Ding and Zhong Ling
- Design by Zhang Ding, Zhong Ling and Zhou Guangyuan
- Design by Zhang Ding, Zhong Ling and Zhou Guangyuan
- Design by Zhang Ding, Zhong Ling, Zhou Guangyuan and Xiao Shuhua
- Design by Zhu De
House flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984–present | House flag of China Merchants Group[23] | ||
| 1951–1984 | |||
| 1960–1993 | House flag of COSCO |
Historical socialist states
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931–34 | Flag used in the Minxi Soviet Government | A red field with a white star and black hammer and sickle in the upper hoist corner. | |
| Jiangxi Soviet republic flag | A red star and hammer and sickle along with Chinese characters for "Chinese Communists" (Zhonggong, 中共) written in classical word order, i.e., read from the right. | ||
| Flag of the Chinese Soviet Republic[24] | Red flag with the national emblem in the center. | ||
| 1933–34 | Flag of the Fujian People's Government | A horizontal bicolour of red and blue and charged with a yellow five-pointed star in the center. | |
| 1928–41 | Flag used in the Qiongya Soviet Government |
Historical military flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Flag of the Northeast Righteous and Brave Army[25] | Red flag with the text "東北義勇軍" and a star. | |
| Flag of the Third Army of the Shandong People's Anti-Japanese Salvation Army[26] | |||
| 1927–1928 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army[6] | Same as the 1928 version, but the hoist side reads "工農革命軍" (China Workers'/Peasants' Revolutionary Army). Divisions were added, for example "第二軍第一師" (Second Army, 1st Division). | |
| 1928–1930 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army[25] | Hoist side reads "中國工農紅軍" (Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army). | |
| 1930 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army | Same as the 1928 version, but the hoist side has no characters and the top reads "全世界無產階級聯合起來" ("Proletariats of the world, unite!"). | |
| 1930–1931 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army[6] | Same as April 1930 version but top reads "全世界無產階級及被壓迫民族聯合起來" ("Proletariats and oppressed peoples of the world, unite!"). | |
| 1931–1934 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army[6] | Same as 1934 version but with blank white hoist side and colored fringe around the edges (six variants – red for infantry, yellow for cavalry, black for artillery, white for engineering, blue for logistics, green for medical). | |
| 1934–1937 | Flag of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army[24] | ||
| 1937–1947 | Flag of the Eighth Route Army (18th Group Army)[25] in use by communist forces in the Second United Front during the Second Sino Japanese War | National Revolutionary Army unit flag with text "國民革命軍第十八集團軍" (National Revolutionary Army 18th Group Army) on the hoist side. |
Republic of China
National flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 December 1928 – present | Flag of the Republic of China[27] (Commonly known as "Taiwan") |
A red field, with a blue canton containing a twelve-ray white sun. This flag flew over mainland China until 1949, and is presently flown on the island of Taiwan and other islands under the control of the ROC. | |
| 1950–present | Flag of the Republic of China (vertical) | The reverse side, rotated to put the blue canton in the upper left. | |
| 1940–1943 | Flag of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China | Used by the Japanese puppet rebel government until 1943 when the pennant was removed and the regular ROC flag took its place. The pennant reads "Peace, Anti-Communism, National Construction". | |
| Used by the Japanese puppet rebel government until 1943 when the pennant was removed and the regular ROC flag took its place. The pennant reads "Peace, Anti-Communism". | |||
| Used by the Japanese puppet rebel government until 1943 when the pennant was removed and the regular ROC flag took its place. The pennant reads "Peace, National Construction". | |||
| 1912–1928 | First flag of the Republic of China, or "Five-colored flag" | It was widely flown even before the Republic of China in Shanghai and eastern parts of north China until 1928. The stripe representation: red for Han Chinese, yellow for Manchus, blue for Mongols, white for Hui, and black for Tibetans. Later used by the Japanese puppet states of the East Hebei Autonomous Government, the Chinese Provisional Government, and the Reformed Government. | |
| 1915–1916 | Flag of the Empire of China | The version with the red saltire was more commonly used than the version with the red centered cross. | |
| 1916 | Variant flag of the Empire of China |
Regional government flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–1912 | Flag of the Great Han Sichuan Military Government.[28] | ||
| Bagua flag of the Shanxi Provincial Military Governmentzh |
Standards
Head of state
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–present | Standard of the president of the Republic of China | ||
| 1929–1988 | Old standard of the president of the Republic of China | ||
| 1927–1928 | Commander-in-chief flag of the Republic of China (Beiyang government) |
Vice president
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–1986 | Standard of the Vice President of the Republic of China | Abolished with the Act of Ensign of the Republic of China Navy (海軍旗章條例) on 3 January 1986. |
Other high executive officials
Military flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986–present | Flag of the Chief of the General Staff (Republic of China Armed Forces)[29] | ||
| 1924–present | Flag of the Republic of China Military Police | ||
| 1945–present | Flag of the Republic of China Armed Forces Reserve[29] | ||
| 1946–2012 | Flag of the Republic of China Joint Logistics Command | ||
| 1945–1992 | Flag of the Taiwan Garrison Command |
Army
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1924–present | Flag of the Republic of China Army (formerly the National Revolutionary Army) | The national emblem with a thick red border. | |
| Flag of the Army commander | |||
| Senior general's flag | |||
| General's flag | |||
| Lieutenant general's flag | |||
| Major general's flag | |||
| Colonel's flag | |||
| 1911–1928 | Army flag of the Republic of China[a] | The banner of the Wuchang uprising of 10 October 1911, subsequently used as the flag of the army of the Republic of China, c. 1913–28. | |
Navy
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1912–present | Ensign of the Republic of China Navy | ||
| 1942–1945 | Ensign of the Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China. | Used by the Japanese puppet government from 1 May 1942 until the end of the regime. | |
| 1911 | First naval ensign of the Republic of China | ||
| 1928–present | Naval jack of the Republic of China Navy | Identical to the Kuomintang flag (see below). | |
| 1940–1945 | Naval jack of Reorganized National Government of the Republic of China | Used by the Japanese puppet government from 1940 until the end of the regime. The pennant reads "Kuomintang". | |
| 1912–1928 | Naval jack of the Republic of China Navy | ||
Rank flags | |||
| Commanding general of Navy flag | |||
| 1912– | Senior admiral's flag | ||
| Admiral's flag | |||
| Vice admiral's flag | |||
| Rear admiral's flag | |||
| Captain's flag | |||
| 1912– | Flag of the Bordered Blue Banner of the Eight Banners | ||
| 1924– | Battle fleet leader's pennant | ||
| 1962– | Navigating battle ship pennant | ||
| 1924– | Commission pennant | ||
| 1912– | Duty pennant | ||
| 1986– | ROCN unit flag | ||
Air Force
Marine Corps
Combined Logistics Command
National Defense University
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–present | Banner of the Military College of the National Defense University | ||
| Banner of the Military College of Command and Staff of the National Defense University | |||
| Naval Command and Staff College flag | |||
| Air Command and Staff College flag | |||
| National Defense Medical Center flag | |||
| Flag of Fu Hsing Kang College | |||
| Chung Cheng Institute of Technology flag | |||
| Flag of the Higher School of Management of the National Defense University | |||
| 2000–2014 | Old banner of the Military College of the National Defense University | ||
| 1968–2000 | Old flag of the National Defense University |
Coast Guard Administration
Police
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974–present | Flag of police of the Republic of China | ||
| 1947–1974 | Flag of police of the Republic of China | Flag of the Republic of China defaced with a golden pigeon in the fly. | |
| 1932–1947 | Flag of police of the Republic of China. | ||
| 1912–1928 | Flag of police of the Republic of China | ||
| 1974–present | Flag of National Police Agency | ||
| Flag of Central Police University | |||
| Flag of Volunteer Police of the Republic of China | |||
| Flag of Director-General of ROC Police | |||
| Flag of Commissioner of Direct-controlled municipality of ROC Police | |||
| 1932–1949 | Flag of Voluntary Police of the Republic of China |
Water Police
Fire Service
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–present | Flag of the National Fire Agency | ||
| Unit flag of the National Fire Agency |
Rescue aviation
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–present | Flag of the National Airborne Service Corps |
Ministries
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag of the Sports Administration | |||
| Flag of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications | |||
| Flag of the Ministry of Education | |||
| 2014–present | Flag of the Ministry of Finance | ||
| 1950–2014 | Previously used as flag of the Inspector-General of Customs during 1929–50. Green background with yellow saltire superimposed by "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag. | ||
| Flag of the Ministry of Health and Welfare |
Councils
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag of the Atomic Energy Council | |||
| Flag of the Veterans Affairs Council | |||
| Flag of the Overseas Community Affairs Council | |||
| Flag of the National Communications Commission | |||
| Flag of the National Development Council |
Agency
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag of the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau of the Republic of China | Not in use since the Taiwan Area National Bureau merged into Freeway Bureau in 2018. | ||
| Flag of the Civil Aeronautics Administration of the Republic of China | |||
| Flag of the Bureau of High Speed Rail of the Republic of China | Not in use since the Bureau of High Speed Rail merged into the Railway Bureau in 2018. | ||
| Flag of the Taiwan Area National Expressway Engineering Bureau, MOTC, Republic of China | Not in use since the Taiwan Area National Expressway Engineering Bureau merged into the Freeway Bureau in 2018. | ||
| Flag of the Institute of Transportation of the Republic of China | |||
| 2014–present | Flag of the Maritime and Port Bureau of the Republic of China | ||
| 2007–present | Flag of the National Immigration Agency of the Republic of China |
Civil and merchant ensign
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1929–1966 | Civil ensign of the Republic of China | Four yellow zigzag stripes were added to the flag of the Republic of China for use as a civil ensign at sea. Present civil ensign is national flag. | |
| 1935 – c. 1949 | Ensign of Chinese Fishery Patrol & Fishery Investigation Test Vessels |
Postal flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935– | Postal ensign of the Republic of China | ||
| 1929–1935 | The "Blue Sky with a White Sun" was placed in the canton. | ||
| 1919–1929 | White flag with the five-colored flag in the canton, bilingual text "Postes" in the lower hoist quarter, and a greylag goose in the fly half. |
Chinese Maritime Customs Service
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1977–present | Customs flag | ||
| Flag of the Director General of Customs | |||
| 1929–1950 | Flag of the Inspector-General[b] | Green background with yellow saltire superimposed by "Blue Sky with a White Sun" flag. | |
| 1931–1950 (In use by vessels until 1976) | Ensign of Chinese Customs (Nanking Government) | ||
| 1929–1931 | |||
| 1911–1928 | Ensign of Chinese Customs (Beiyang Government) |
Salt Administration
Yacht club ensign
Sporting flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979– | Chinese Taipei Olympic flag | The ROC is recognized as "Chinese Taipei" in the Olympics, due to the political status of Taiwan. | |
| 2019– | Flag of Chinese Taipei used in the Paralympic Games | ||
| 2004–2019 | |||
| pre–2004 | |||
| Flag of Chinese Taipei used in the Deaflympics | |||
| Flag of Chinese Taipei used in the Universiade | |||
| Flag of the Chinese Taipei Volleyball Association | |||
| Chinese Taipei esports flag | Used in esports competitions organized by Blizzard Entertainment. | ||
| Former Chinese Taipei football flag |
City and county flags
As of November 1997, 18, the Chinese Government banned localities from making and using local flags and emblems.[30] Despite the ban, some cities have adopted their own flag that often includes their local emblem as shown below. The ROC-controlled areas continues to use the respective flags.
Provinces
The PRC-controlled mainland does not have provincial flags, but the ROC-controlled area has a flag for one of its two provinces.
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Province |
| Flag | Administrative division | Adopted | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaohsiung City | 2010–present | Stylized "高". The colors symbolize sunshine, vitality, environmental protection, and the ocean.[31] | ||
| New Taipei City | Stylized "北" in the form of four hearts arranged to resemble a four-leaf clover. | |||
| Taichung City | 2008–present | |||
| Tainan City | 2010–present | |||
| Taipei City | ||||
| Taoyuan City | 2014–present | |||
| Chiayi City | ||||
| Keelung City | ||||
| Changhua County | ||||
| Chiayi County | ||||
| Hsinchu County | ||||
| Hualien County | ||||
| Kinmen County | ||||
| Lienchiang County | ||||
| Miaoli County | ||||
| Nantou County | ||||
| Penghu County | ||||
| Pingtung County | ||||
| Taitung County | ||||
| Yilan County | ||||
| Yunlin County | ||||
History
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1922–1949 | Flag of Kunming[32] | The flag features the former city emblem which consists of two intersecting red circles which represent the harmony of sun and moon, as well as western and eastern ideas. In the middle is a golden stylized symbol of a 市 character. | |
| 1981–2010 | Old flag of Taipei City | Previous flag used by Taipei City, with its seal on top of 16 horizontal stripes of white and blue. | |
| 1999–2006 | Old flag of New Taipei City | ||
| 1980s–1999 | |||
| 2006–2010 | |||
| ?–2010 | Old flag of Hsinchu County | ||
| 2018–2019 | |||
| 2010–2018 | |||
| 1951–2010 | Old flag of Taichung County | ||
| 1978–2010 | Old flag of Tainan City | ||
| ?–2010 | Old flag of Tainan County | ||
| 1974–2009 | Old flag of Kaohsiung City | ||
| ?–1999 | Old flag of Kaohsiung County | ||
| 1999–2010 | Old flag of Kaohsiung County | ||
| 1984–2014 | Old flag of Taitung County |
University flags
Political flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
current | |||
| Link to file | 2017–present | Flag of the Taiwan People's Communist Party | |
| 2007–present | Flag of Taiwan Civil Governmentzh | ||
| 2006–present | Flag of the Hakka Party | ||
| Flag of Sovereign State for Formosa & Pescadores Partyzh | |||
| Link to file | 2005–present | Flag of Taiwan Independent Unionzh | |
| Link to file | 2004–present | Flag of the Non-Partisan Solidarity Union | |
| 2003–present | Flag of the Taiwan Labor Partyzh[33] | ||
| 2000–present | Flag of the People First Party | ||
| 1993–present | Flag of the New Party | ||
| 2010s–present | Flag of the Patriot Alliance Association | ||
| 1993–present | |||
| 1989–present | Flag of the Labor Party | Red flag with a green pile reversed (a triangle based at the bottom) and yellow star. | |
| Link to file | Flag of the Chinese People's Party | ||
| Link to file | 1986–present | Flag of the Democratic Progressive Party | |
| ?–present | Flag of the Democratic Progressive Party ward on the Matsu Islands | ||
| 1970–present | Flag of World United Formosans for Independence | ||
| 1923–present | Flag of the Chinese Youth Party | ||
| 1921–1949 | Flag of the Chinese Communist Party | Communist hammer and sickle. Used by the CPC during the Republic of China era. | |
| 1895–present | Flag of the Kuomintang | Blue Sky with a White Sun | |
former | |||
| 2018–2020 | Flag of the Congress Party Alliance | ||
| 2014–2020 | Flag of the Alliance of military personnel, officials and teacherszh | ||
| 2007–2019 | Flag of the Home Party | ||
| 2018–2019 | Flag of the Taiwan Military (Junta) Government, a self-declared government led by Gao Anguo.zh | ||
| 2015–2019 | Flag of the Minkuotang | ||
| 2009–2020 | Flag of the Taiwan Democratic Communist Party | ||
| Link to file | 2007–2019 | Flag of the Taiwan Farmers' Party | |
| Link to file | 1996–2020 | Flag of the Taiwan Independence Party | |
| Link to file | 1994–2020 | Flag of the Taiwan Communist Party | |
| 1991–2020 | Flag of the Chinese Social Democratic Partyzh | ||
| 1946–2020 | Flag of the China Democratic Socialist Party | Stylized "井" in center | |
| 1933–1934 | Flag of the Productive People's Party | ||
| 1929–1931 | Flag of the Taiwanese People's Party (Active in Japanese Taiwan) | ||
| 1929 | Influenced by: | ||
| 1925–? | Flag of the Guangdong Peasants' Association | Chinese national flag charged with yellow plough in fly. | |
| 1925–1946 | Flag of the Inner Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party | ||
| 1911–? | Flag of the Royalist Party | National flag (1889–1912) | |
| 19th–20th century | Flag of the Yellow Sand Society | Solid yellow flag | |
Cultural flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–present | Flag of the Tao people | A white flag with the traditional "boat's eye" symbol and traditional triangular ornaments on the top and bottom.[34] | |
| 2017–present | Flag of the Rukai people | The "Lily Flag" composed of three colors: red, yellow, and green, representing hope, love and peace. The lilies and eagle feathers represent the purity and fairness of the Rukai tribe, was designed by Jin Shaohua.[35] | |
| 2017–present | Flag of Taiwanese indigenous peoples in Taichung | ||
| 2016–present | "National flag" of the Amis people in the Amis Music Festival.[36][37] | ||
| ?–present | Flag of the Amis people in Taidong (Falangaw tribezh) | ||
| 1984–1998 | Flag of the Taiwan Association for the Promotion of Aboriginal Rightszh |
Proposed flags
Republic of China
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | Teo Eng Hock and his wife's proposal 1 for the ROC flag | ||
| Proposal 2 for the ROC flag | |||
| Proposal 3 for the ROC flag, later adopted as the flag of the Republic of China Army | |||
| Proposal 4 for the ROC flag, later adopted as the flag of the China Zhi Gong Party | |||
| Proposal 5 for the ROC flag, later used as the flag of the marshall in Beiyang government |
Taiwan Independence Movement
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Republic of Taiwan Provisional Government proposal | ||
| 1994 | Donald Liu's proposal | ||
| 2005 | 908 Taiwan Republic Campaign's proposal | ||
| 2013 | World Taiwanese Congress proposal | ||
| 2016 | "Taiwan the Formosa" by Chih-Hao Chen |
Railway flags
House flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942–1972 | House flag of China Merchants Group[38] | ||
| 1873–1942 |
Association flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938–1947 | Flag of the Three Principles of the People Youth League | ||
| 1952–present | Flag of the China Youth Corps[39] | ||
| 1937–present | Flag of the Red Swastika Society | ||
| Flag of China Sailor's Union |
Warlords
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1933–1944 | Flag of Xinjiang | Used by Sheng Shicai's provincial government in Xinjiang until 1944. | |
| 1949 | Flag used in a Ma clique rally. | ||
| 1929 | Flag used by Zhang Xueliang's troops | Captured by Soviet soldiers in 1929. |
Xinhai Revolution
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1911 | Flag of the Huaxinghui | ||
| 1911 | Flag used by the rebel force in the Xinhai Revolution in Anqing | ||
| 1911 | Flag used by the rebel force in the Xinhai Revolution in Changsha | ||
| 1911 | Flag used by the army led by Chen Jiongming | ||
| 1911 | Flag used by the rebel force in the Xinhai Revolution in Zhejiang | ||
| 1911 | Flag after the victory of the Kunming uprising | ||
| 1911 | Flag used by the Qing royalist force in the Xinhai Revolution in Gejiu |
Qing dynasty and other pre-1912 states
National flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1862–1912 | Flag of the Qing dynasty | Naval flag and quasi-national flag on international occasions. | |
| 1862–1890 | Used on Qing dynasty naval ships for identification | Triangular variant of national flag. |
Standards
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1862–1912 | Standard of the Qing Emperor | Azure Dragon on a plain right triangle yellow field with the red sun of the three-legged crow in the upper hoist corner. |
Military flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1644–1912 | Flag of the Green Standard Army | A green recolouring of the Imperial Standard of the Qing Emperor. | |
| 1615–1911 | Flag of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Eight Banners | The Eight Banners was created in the early 17th century by Nurhaci to unify the Jurchen people into the Manchu dynasty. The first three banners were under the direct command of the Emperor himself. | |
| Flag of the Plain Yellow Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Plain White Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Plain Red Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Bordered White Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Bordered Red Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Plain Blue Banner of the Eight Banners | |||
| Flag of the Bordered Blue Banner of the Eight Banners |
Navy
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1890–1912 | The flag of the Qing Imperial Chinese Navy | Square version of previous flag | |
| 1862–1890 | Used on Qing dynasty naval ships for identification | Same as national flag | |
| 1909–1911 | Flag for the Imperial Chinese Navy Secretary.[40] | ||
| The flag of the admiral of the Beiyang Fleet.[40] | |||
| Command flag for the Imperial Chinese Navy vice admiral.[40] | |||
| Command flag for the Imperial Chinese Navy rear admiral.[40] | |||
| Command flag for the Imperial Chinese Navy commodore.[40] | |||
| Command flag for the Imperial Chinese Navy Senior Officer/Fleet Leader.[40] | |||
| Imperial Chinese Navy Duty Ship Pennant.[40] | |||
| Imperial Chinese Navy Commission Pennant.[40] | |||
| 1890–1909 | The flag of the admiral of the Beiyang Fleet. | ||
| 1874–1890 | The flag of the admiral of the Beiyang Fleet. | ||
| 1890–1909 | Flag of the Commander (Tongling) of Torpedo Boats | ||
| 1905–1909 | Flag of Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Beiyang Fleet | ||
| 1890–1909 | Flag of Commodore of Beiyang Fleet | ||
| 1905–1909 | Flag of High-ranking Official of Beiyang Fleet | ||
| Officer (Junguan) of the Beiyang Fleet | |||
| Flag of Minister of the Navy, or Admiral (de jure, probably not used) | |||
| Flag of the Admiral and Fleet Commander, or Vice Admiral (de jure, probably not used) | |||
| Flag of the Admiral and Squadron Commander, or Rear Admiral (de jure, probably not used) | |||
| Flag of the Commodore, or Commodore First Class (de jure, probably not used) | |||
| 1890–1909 | Flag of the Leader (Duizhang), or Commodore Second Class | ||
Proposed | |||
| Proposed in 1863 | Ensign of Qing Navy | ||
| Commission Pennant of Qing Navy | |||
Other | |||
| Junk pennants | In addition to the typical flags, some Qing ships also used individual silk pennants. | The two pictures provided here are examples only. | |
Chinese Maritime Customs Service
House flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1873–1942 | House flag of China Merchants Group |
Flags of localized regimes
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860s–1885 | Flag of the Black Flag Army | Flag of the Black Flag Army, a Chinese-Vietnamese army and guerrilla force that fought against the French in the Sino-French War. A black flag with a white 令 character. | |
| 1895 | Flag of the Republic of Formosa[41] | Tiger on a plain blue field with azure clouds below it. | |
| 1883 | Flag used by gold miners in the so-called Zheltuga Republic | Described as a "black and yellow" flag "symbolizing the union of land and gold".[citation needed] | |
| 1873–1877 | Flag of Yettishar | ||
| 1865–1873 | |||
| 1856–1873 | Flag of the Pingnan Guo | ||
| 1661–1683 | Flag of the Kingdom of Tungning [citation needed] |
The Chinese character "鄭" in a red circle outline on a plain white field. | |
| 1624–1668 | Flag of Dutch Formosa | Flag of the Dutch East India Company | |
| 1626–1642 | Flag of Spanish Formosa | Cross of Burgundy |
Flags of the Boxer Rebellion
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1890s–1901 | Battle flag | Battle flag used by the Yihetuan during the Boxer Rebellion. A red flag with a black square, inscribed with a red character 令 (pinyin: lìng; lit. 'command' or 'order'), inspired by the flag of the Black Flag Army. | |
| c. 1890s–1901 | Anti-foreign flag | A type of flag used by the Yihetuan during the Boxer Rebellion, inscribed with the characters 扶清滅洋 (pinyin: fú qīng miè yáng; lit. 'Support the Qing and Destroy the Foreigners'). A contemporary French Jesuit's diary describes the flag as "yellow [...] with a black border."[42] |
Flags of the Chinese Pirates
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1849 | Reputedly the flag of the Chinese pirate Shap-ng-tsai or decoration confused with the ensign. | The flag is painted with a depiction of Zhang Daoling (34–156 AD), founder of Daoism as a religion in China. He is seated on a rock holding a Bagua (a symbol of Daoism) with a tiger or qilin behind him. A border of bats runs down the fly edge (a symbol of good luck).[43] |
Banners described by Wujing Zongyao
Banners described by Jixiao Xinshu
Banners described by Wubei Zhi
Banners present in old paintings
Manchukuo
National flag
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932–1945 | Flag of Manchukuo | A yellow field with the red, blue, white, and black stripes of the first flag of the Republic of China (see above) in the canton. |
Standards
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1945 | Imperial standard of the Emperor of Manchukuo |
Manchukuo Imperial Army and Navy
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1945 | War ensign of Manchukuo | Used by the Manchukuo Imperial Army. | |
| Flag of Navy Minister of Manchukuo | |||
| 1932–1935 | Flag of admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1935–1945 | Flag of admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1932–1935 | Flag of vice admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1935–1945 | Flag of vice admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1932–1935 | Flag of rear admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1935–1945 | Flag of rear admiral of the Navy | ||
| 1932–1935 | Flag of 1st class commodore of the Navy | ||
| 1935–1945 | Flag of 1st class commodore of the Navy | ||
| Flag of commander (2nd class commodore) of the Navy | |||
| Flag of superior commander of the Navy |
Government flags
Police flags
Political flags
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931–1945 | Flag of the Concordia Association | Contains the Chinese characters 協和. | |
| 1931–1943 | Flag of the Russian Fascist Party | Minor Russian émigré movement that was based in Manchukuo. |
Other
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932–1945 | Flag of the Manchukuo Post | Postal flag of Manchukuo. | |
| Flag of the Boy Scouts of Manchukuo | |||
| 1906–1945 | Flag of the South Manchuria Railway |
Other Japanese puppet states
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1937–1938 | Flag of the Great Way Government | ||
| 1943 | Flag of the New People's Society | New People's Society (新民會, "Xinminhui"), a collaborationist, quasi-political-party organization in northern China under Japanese occupation. | |
| 1938–1940 | Flag of the Reformed Government of the Republic of China | ||
| 1936–1939 | Flag of the Mongol Military Government, which became the Flag of the Mongol United Autonomous Government in 1937 | A vertical pattern of red, yellow, white as a canton on a blue field. | |
| 1938–1939 | Flag of the South Chahar Autonomous Government, also known as Chanan. Later merged with the Mongol United Autonomous Government and Jinbei to create Mengjiang | A vertical pattern of red, white, blue as a canton on a yellow field. | |
| Flag of the North Shanxi Autonomous Government, also known as Jinbei. Later merged with the Mongol United Autonomous Government and Chanan to create Mengjiang | A vertical pattern of red, blue, white as a canton on a yellow field. | ||
| 1939–1945 | Flag of Mengjiang | A horizontal pattern of yellow, blue, white, red, white, blue, and yellow again. |
Foreign concessions and colonies
Dalian
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1905–1945 | Flag of the Kwantung Leased Territory | Flag of Japan | |
| 1898–1905 | Flag of Russian Dalian | Flag of Russia |
Tianjin
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1901–1917 | Flag of the Austro-Hungarian concession of Tianjin | Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy | |
| 1902–1931 | Flag of the Belgian concession of Tianjin | Flag of Belgium | |
| 1860–1943 | Flag of the British concession of Tianjin | Union Jack | |
| 1901–1943 | Flag of the Italian concession of Tianjin | Flag of Italy | |
| 1900–1924 | Flag of the Russian concession of Tianjin | Flag of Russia |
Chinese Eastern Railway
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932–1935 | A combination of the flag of Manchukuo at the top and the flag of Soviet Union at the bottom. | ||
| 1928–1932 | A combination of the flag of the Republic of China at the top and the flag of Soviet Union at the bottom. | ||
| 1925–1928 | A combination of the Five-Colored Flag at the top and the flag of Soviet Union at the bottom. | ||
| 1915–1925 | A combination of a triangular version of the Five-Colored Flag in the lower hoist half, the flag of Russia in the upper fly quarter, and the text "East Provinces' Railway Company of China" in Chinese in the higher of the white triangles between the two designs. | ||
| 1897–1915 | A combination of the triangular version of the flag of the Qing dynasty, the flag of Russia in the upper fly quarter, and the text "East Provinces' Railway of Great Qing" in Chinese in the higher of the white triangles between the two designs. |
Hong Kong
Macau
Qingdao
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898–1914 | Flag of the Kiautschou Bay Leased Territory | Flag of Germany (1867–1918) |
Shanghai
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1917–1941 | Flag of the Shanghai Municipal Council | ||
| 1863–c. 1917 | |||
| 1849–1943 | Flag of the Shanghai French Concession | Flag of France | |
| 1845–1863 | Flag of the British Concession in Shanghai | Union Jack | |
| 1848–1863 | Flag of the American Concession in Shanghai | Flag of the United States |
Weihai
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1903–1930 | Flag of British Weihaiwei | A British Blue Ensign with two Mandarin ducks standing on a beach. | |
| 1899–1903 | Flag of the Commissioner of Weihaiwei | ||
| 1903–1930 |
Zhanjiang
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898–1945 | Flag of Guangzhouwan | Flag of France |
Former secessionist states
East Turkestan
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1945–1946 | Flag of Second East Turkestan | [further explanation needed] |
Tibet
| Flag | Duration | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flag of Chushi Gangdruk | Used by Chushi Gangdruk, a Tibetan guerrilla group, until 1974. The group still exists among the Tibetan exiles and still uses the sword emblem. | ||
| 1959–present | Flag of Tibet | Currently used by the Tibetan Government in Exile located in Dharamshala, India | |
| 1916–1951 | Flag of Tibet (1912–1951) | ||
| 1951–1959 | Flag of the General Derge Se for the Tibetan Army |
Misattributed flags
This is a list of incorrect or fictitious flags which have been reported on as being factual and/or historical flags by contemporary or otherwise reputable sources or popularized on the Internet.
| Flag | Date | Use | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Mistakes in historical sources | |||
| 19th century | Incorrect image of the Qing flag in the Western publication | The dragon bears a resemblance to the one on the Flag of Wales. | |
| 20th century | Alleged pre-1912 Tibetan flag | Fictitious flag appearing on a collector card from a chocolate manufacturer featuring the palace of the Dalai Lama in Lhasa in the early 20th century. Identical to Chinese Merchant Group flag. | |
| 1935–1938 | Alleged flag of the East Hebei Autonomous Government | Erroneous flag appearing in a postcard published by Parliamentary Secretary Yin of the Jitong Defense Joint Self-Government in Hebei. The blue and yellow banners are switched due to erroneous coloring. Identical to Provincial Commander-in-Chief of Beiyang Fleet flag. | |
| 1937 | Alleged flag of the Mongol United Autonomous Government | Erroneous flag of the Mongol United Autonomous Government based on The Airpost Journal's description. It mentions "a square of horizontal red, yellow, white and black stripes".[44] | |
Historical fiction | |||
| 7th century (de facto 1990s) | Alleged flag of the Tibetan Empire | A modern interpretation of an uncertain standard of the Tibetan Emperor, Songtsen Gampo. | |
| 21st century | Flag allegedly representing the Tang dynasty on the internet. Similar flags are attributed to other dynasties. | ||
| Flags allegedly representing the Mongol Empire or Yuan dynasty on the internet. | A white Soyombo on a blue background. | ||
| The "Sun Moon Flag", attributed to the Ming dynasty | Improperly used both on the internet and in real life.[45] | ||
| Another variant of the Ming dynasty flag | |||
| 1931–1945[c] | Flag of the Concordia Association | Contains the Manchu text ᠰᡳᡝᡥᠣᡥᡠᡳ. The Manchu version has never been used. | |
| ? | Alleged flag of the pirate Gan Ning | Various flags containing a bell are assigned to a pirate on the Internet. | |
| ? | Alleged flag of the pirate Ching Shih | ||
Fictional ethnic flags | |||
| 2010 | Flag of the Han dynasty, Han nationalism (contemporary) and Han Chinese[d] | The loong symbol is from Qinglong Wadang manufactured in Han dynasty, collected in Xi'an museum. | |
| around 2010s | |||
| around 2012 | Flag of the Zhuang people[e] | ||
| Flag of the Yi people[f] | |||
| 21st century | Flag of the Salar people[g] | ||
Other | |||
| ? | Proposed tricolour flag for Chaoshan (East Cantonia), China | Used by autonomist activists. | |
| 20th–21st century | Xiang separatist movement flag | Used by the Hunan independence movement. | |
In 2012, Vietnam mistakenly used a six-star flag for China (one big and five small stars) during the visit of the President of China.[47][48]
See also
Notes
- Flag of the Wuchang uprising.
- Still used by the ROC Minister of Finance until 2014.
- De facto used by Manchurian nationalists in Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan in 21st century.
- Created by 华小桶 for the Han dynasty in 2010, and used by Han nationalist netizens from 2014 or 2015. This flag has also been used to represent the Han Dynasty in some historical reenactments.[46]
- The project was created by Leonardo Piccioni de Almeida and gained some popularity among Internet users criticizing the PRC. PRC law prohibits the use of cultural flags. Some websites use this flag to represent the Zhuang language.
- The project was created by Leonardo Piccioni de Almeida and gained some popularity among Internet users criticizing the PRC. PRC law prohibits the use of cultural flags. Some websites use this flag to represent the Yi language.
- Tamga of the Salur tribe is actually used, but there is no evidence that it is used as a flag. PRC law prohibits the use of cultural flags. Some websites use this flag to represent the Salar language.