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• Capital of China (PRC): Beijing
• Area of China (PRC): 9,326,410 sq. km
• Languages used in China (PRC): Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Shanghaiese, Minbei, Hokkien-Taiwanese, Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects
• Religions in China (PRC): Daoist, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian
• Flag Adoption Date: October 1, 1949
• Flag Representations:
• Red: Communist revolution
• Large Gold Star: Symbol of the Communist Party
• Four Smaller Gold Stars: Workers, Peasants, Bourgeoisie, & Patriotic Capitalists who are united in building communism.

Symbolism of the Chinese Flag

The 20th century was a tumultuous time for China. The centuries old Qing dynasty collapsed in 1912, and was replaced by a republican government. That government, however, was unable to exert central control over all of its territory and the county was effectively ruled by warlords. Add in a bloody civil war between nationalists and communists, and invasion by Japan, and you can see why the Chinese referred to the back half of the 1800s and front half of the 1900s as the century of humiliation.

By 1949 the civil war was over and Mao Zedong's communist party was beginning to rule the nation. There was a sense of energy, excitement, and many Chinese felt hope. So, when the Communist Party put out a contest for a design of the new Chinese flag, there were over two thousand entries.

The winning design was made by Zeng Liansong. The flag's red field represents the blood spilled during the revolution, the large yellow star represents the communist party, and the 4 smaller stars represent the 4 social classes that make up Chinese society.

Though the rule of Mao Zedong was marred by famine and oppression, the lives of millions of Chinese citizens have greatly improved in recent years. The feeling of excitement and hope still permeates Chinese society, and the red banner still flutters.