The Chinese flag features five yellow stars on a red background. Officially known as the Five-Star Red Flag, it has been the national flag of the People's Republic of China since its adoption on October 1, 1949.

Design Breakdown

  • One large star : Positioned in the upper hoist-side corner, it symbolizes the Communist Party of China as the unifying leadership force.
  • Four smaller stars : Arranged in an arc around the large star, pointing toward its center; they represent the four major social classes—workers, peasants, petite bourgeoisie, and national capitalists—highlighting unity under Party guidance.
  • Red field : Stands for the revolution and the blood of the people, with a 3:2 proportion ratio.

This design won a nationwide contest in 1949, submitted by Zeng Liansong, beating over 3,000 entries amid the founding of modern China.

Symbolism in Context

The stars embody harmony and completeness in Chinese philosophy, where five often signifies balance (e.g., five elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, water). No changes have occurred since adoption, even through decades of political shifts up to 2026.

Element| Count| Meaning
---|---|---
Large Star| 1| Communist Party leadership 3
Small Stars| 4| Social classes (workers, peasants, etc.) 59
Total Stars| 5| Unity and revolution 17

TL;DR: Exactly five stars—one big, four small.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.