The national flag of the People’s Republic of China is officially known as the Five‑Star Red Flag (“Five‑Star Red Banner”). It is defined in Chinese law as the national flag and features a bright red field charged with one large yellow five‑pointed star and four smaller yellow five‑pointed stars arranged in an arc at the upper hoist.
China’s flag appears on state buildings, border facilities, and military sites across mainland China and is widely recognised as a symbol of the socialist state led by the Communist Party. Standard references describe its design as a red field representing revolution and five yellow stars whose relationship expresses the unity of different social groups under party leadership.
This article sets out the China flag’s main specifications, public presence, commonly cited meanings, historical development, etiquette, and travel relevance, explaining how the five‑star red flag functions as a national identifier in contemporary China.
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Flag of China: Key Takeaways
Status: The Chinese flag is the legally defined national flag of the People’s Republic of China under the National Flag Law.
Visibility: The five‑star red flag appears on government buildings, schools, border checkpoints, and diplomatic missions, as well as at major civic ceremonies and military events.
Specification: China’s flag is a red field with one large yellow star and four smaller yellow stars in the upper hoist corner, in a standard 2:3 proportion.
Identification: The Chinese flag is recognisable by its plain red background, single large star, and four smaller stars arranged in an arc pointing toward the larger star.
Interpretation: Chinese flag colours and stars are widely cited as symbolising revolution, Communist Party leadership, and unity among key social groups, though detailed explanations vary by source.
Public Presence of the Chinese Flag
Arrivals at major Chinese airports commonly see the China Flag flying on mast lines outside terminal forecourts, near drop‑off lanes, and beside security or border‑inspection entrances. Large hubs such as the capital and Shanghai Pudong often display multiple five‑star red flags on high poles overlooking access roads, parking areas, or airport plazas.
Railway stations, metro interchanges, and long‑distance bus terminals typically show the Chinese flag above primary entrances or on façade‑mounted poles close to official signage for ticket halls and security checkpoints. In city squares and administrative districts, flagpoles bearing the five‑star red flag often stand in front of government compounds, people’s governments, and some schools, marking institutional buildings in dense urban landscapes.
At embassies and consulates abroad, the China Flag usually appears on perimeter masts and near gate signage, identifying diplomatic premises and consular access points. Daily outdoor display is most consistent at state institutions, while commercial or residential buildings tend to raise flags more frequently during national holidays, commemorations, and major sporting events.
Design and Layout of the China Flag
The table below summarises key technical details of the standard China Flag design as reported in official and reference sources.
| Aspect | Specification |
| Orientation | Horizontal rectangle, hoist on the left |
| Colors | Red, yellow |
| Digital colors | Red RGB(222,41,16) HEX #DE2910; Yellow RGB(255,222,0) HEX #FFDE00 |
| Print colors | Red CMYK(0,82,93,13); Yellow CMYK(0,13,100,0) |
| Color arrangement | Red field with yellow stars at upper hoist |
| Emblem placement | One large star and four smaller stars near the canton |
| Official proportions | 2:3 ratio height to length |
Technical diagrams specify exact positions and sizes of each star relative to the flag’s length and height, ensuring consistent reproduction for official manufacturing and display.
Flag of China: Meaning and Symbolism
Reference works and governmental explanations describe the China Flag as combining revolutionary colour symbolism with an emblematic depiction of unity under party leadership, while acknowledging that accounts of the details differ between official, academic, and popular sources. The red background is widely cited as representing revolution and the broader Chinese revolutionary tradition, while the five yellow stars are commonly interpreted as expressing the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the unity of key social groups around that centre.
Alternative or extended readings appear in some scholarly and media discussions, including associations of the stars with the “four classes” identified in early political texts, references to ethnic groups, and occasional comparisons with cultural concepts such as the five elements. These interpretations are typically presented as contextual or thematic, and sources generally treat them as interpretive frameworks rather than strictly binding legal definitions governing every use of the Chinese flag colors and star design.
What the China Flag Represents
Red on the flag is often described as representing revolution and is also widely linked with prosperity and good fortune in Chinese cultural contexts.
The large yellow star is commonly interpreted as symbolising the Communist Party of China as the central guiding force in state and society.
The four smaller yellow stars are frequently said to represent key social groups or classes aligning around the Party in a unified national framework.
How to Identify the Flag of China
At airports, border crossings, and seaports, travellers often see many national flags grouped on mast lines or building fronts, and clear visual cues help distinguish the China Flag from others in the same setting. Recognising the combination of a solid red field and a specific star pattern is usually sufficient to identify the Chinese national flag from a distance. Flags also appear on maps indicating where China is.
Look for a plain red background without horizontal or vertical stripes or additional colour blocks.
Check the upper hoist corner for one large yellow five‑pointed star accompanied by four smaller yellow five‑pointed stars.
Confirm that the four smaller stars form a gentle arc curving toward the larger star, with each small star oriented so one point aims roughly toward the large star.
Distinguish the China Flag from similar red flags by noting the number of stars, their exact arrangement, and the absence of other emblems or inscriptions on the field in the standard national version.
Similar Flags Commonly Confused With the Chinese Flag
Several national and historical flags use red fields and star motifs, which can lead to confusion when designs are seen partially or at small scale. The table below lists a few visually comparable flags and the main elements that differentiate them on neutral visual grounds.
| Commonly confused with | Shared visual elements | Key difference |
| Flag of Vietnam | Red field with yellow star | Single large centred star, no smaller stars in an arc |
| Flag of the former Soviet Union | Red field with yellow emblem | Hammer and sickle with star in canton, not five separate stars |
| Flag of the Republic of China | Red field and yellow/navy elements | Navy canton with white sun, different layout and symbolism |
| Flag of Hong Kong SAR | Red field and star shapes | White bauhinia flower with five red stars on petals |
| Flag of Macao SAR | Use of stars referencing China | Green field with lotus and stylised bridge beneath stars |
History of the Flag of China
Histories of the China Flag generally divide developments into pre‑1949 republican and post‑1949 People’s Republic phases, highlighting how different regimes adopted distinct national symbols. Before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, various dynastic, imperial, and republican authorities used different banners, including the “Five‑Colored Flag” and later the “Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth” flag of the Republic of China.
Late Qing era: Multi‑coloured flags, such as the five‑stripe “Five‑Colored Flag,” represent imperial and early constitutional arrangements.
Early Republic: The flag of the Republic of China, combining a blue canton with a white sun over a red field, becomes the principal national emblem.
1949 design contest: A public competition yields several proposals for the new people’s state, including early designs with gear or hammer motifs.
Adoption of the Five‑Star Red Flag: The design by Zeng Liansong, featuring a red field and five yellow stars, is selected and officially hoisted in Tiananmen Square on 1 October 1949.
Standardisation and law: The National Flag Law and subsequent regulations codify design proportions, usage rules, and display protocols for the national flag in state and public contexts.
China Flag Etiquette for Visitors: Common Dos and Don’ts
Sources that describe China Flag etiquette for visitors generally emphasise observing formal flag‑raising, lowering, and display practices at official sites, without presenting exhaustive checklists tailored exclusively to foreign travellers. Public displays at Tiananmen Square, government compounds, schools, and military facilities follow codified procedures that reflect broader norms around national symbols and ceremonies.
As you explore the best things to do in China, the following table summarises commonly observed behaviours and typical avoidances without framing them as formal instructions.
| Commonly observed | Typically avoided |
| Flying clean, undamaged flags on tall masts at state buildings. | Displaying torn, badly faded, or dirty flags in official areas. |
| Raising the China Flag during formal daily or ceremonial hoistings. | Using national flags as casual clothing accessories at solemn sites. |
| Positioning the flag of China centrally among domestic symbols. | Placing national flags lower than local decorative banners in official settings. |
| Including the Five‑Star Red Flag on government documents and signage. | Printing large slogans directly across official national flags. |
| Lowering and folding flags carefully after ceremonies or at night. | Treating commemorative flag displays as informal props in restricted zones. |
Flag of China: Practical Travel Tips for Tourists
Travel guides that reference the China Flag often point out how the five‑star red banner helps visitors recognise government facilities, schools, border posts, and some public squares in large cities and county‑level towns. When navigating unfamiliar districts or looking for official services, spotting the Chinese flag can help confirm that a building or complex houses administrative or security functions.
Movement: Travellers typically move between airports, high‑speed rail stations, metro networks, and intercity bus hubs, where the China Flag often marks government offices, some security checkpoints, and central squares.
Navigation systems: Public information systems use Chinese and, in many major hubs, English signage with route numbers, colours, and pictograms, while some maps and information boards incorporate the flag to indicate national or city‑level facilities.
Language: Large cities and key tourist sites provide more English support, whereas smaller towns rely primarily on Chinese‑only signage, encouraging greater use of mapping and translation apps for wayfinding.
Payments and networks: Urban China supports widespread QR‑code and card payments, and mobile data coverage in populated areas is generally strong, allowing travellers to use apps for tickets, route planning, and on‑the‑go bookings.
Staying Connected in China with SimCorner
Travel through China’s major hubs, from Beijing and Shanghai to regional capitals and secondary cities, relies heavily on mobile connectivity to manage digital tickets, accommodation bookings, and local transport information while moving between locations where the China Flag marks official sites and central squares. Consistent data access supports map use, translation tools, and payment apps in environments where many services are accessed through QR codes and smartphone platforms.
SimCorner provides China eSIM options and China SIM cards that connect visitors to leading local networks, with instant setup via QR codes, hotspot support for laptops or companion devices, and plans structured to be transparent and cost‑effective for a range of trip lengths. These solutions help travellers avoid standard roaming charges, maintain reliable access to navigation and communication tools, and draw on 24/7 online support when planning journeys across cities and regions, including when researching the top things to do in China for upcoming stops.
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