China Flag: Meaning, Colors, History & Facts
China’s national flag is a red field with one large yellow star and four smaller yellow stars in the upper-left corner. The design has represented the People’s Republic of China since 1949.
What does the China flag look like?
The flag is red with five yellow five-pointed stars in the upper hoist. One star is much larger, with four smaller stars arranged to its right.
What do the five stars mean?
Official Chinese explanations identify the large star with the Communist Party of China and the four smaller stars with the Chinese people. Their arrangement expresses unity around the larger star.
Explore the five-star symbolism →
Why is the flag red?
Official descriptions state that red symbolizes the Chinese revolution. Yellow was chosen for the stars so they would stand out clearly against the red field.
Who designed the flag?
The design is credited to Zeng Liansong, whose proposal was selected in 1949 during the establishment of the People’s Republic.
What is the official ratio?
The national flag uses a 3:2 length-to-height ratio. China’s National Flag Law also defines the exact star sizes, positions and orientations.
How did the flag develop?
The five-star red flag was adopted in 1949 and first raised at the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic in Beijing on October 1, 1949. The National Flag Law later formalized rules for construction and use.
Read the full China flag history →
How can you identify China’s flag?
Look for one large yellow star surrounded on its right side by four smaller stars on an otherwise plain red field.
China flag facts
| Colors | Red and yellow |
|---|---|
| Stars | 5 |
| Designer | Zeng Liansong |
| Ratio | 3:2 |
| Adopted | 1949 |
How can you identify China’s flag?
The design is visually simple: one large yellow star and four smaller yellow stars on a plain red field. The smaller stars all angle toward the large star, which is a useful detail when checking whether an illustration is accurate.
Why are there exactly five stars?
The number is part of the political symbolism adopted with the founding of the People’s Republic. The large star and four smaller stars were selected to express unity under the Communist Party rather than to represent five provinces or five geographic regions.
China flag FAQ
Do the four small stars represent four provinces?
No. Official explanations describe them collectively as representing the Chinese people.
Who designed the flag?
Zeng Liansong.
When was it first raised?
At the founding ceremony of the People’s Republic on October 1, 1949.
