REPUBLIC OF CHINA
ARMY FLAGS Since 1912
Notes
In 1912 the new Republic of China adopted as its war flag the banner that had been raised by Army rebels in 1911: a red field for China with a black star and eighteen gold balls, one for each province of the nation. In 1928, however, the government of General Chiang Kai-shek abolished both the Five-Color Flag and the 1912 war flag. The 1912 naval ensign became China's national flag, and the 1912 war flag was replaced by a red flag with the White Sun in Blue Sky Flag centered. These flags disappeared from mainland China after the Communist victory in 1949, but they are still used by the Republic of China (Taiwan). Today the war flag is used on ceremonial occasions to represent the Army. With a vertical white stripe at the hoist bearing an appropriate inscription in Chinese characters, it also serves as a unit flag.
The fringed distinguishing flag of the Commander-in-Chief of the Army, based on the war flag, probably dates from about 1950. Note the small blue-white-red pennant, charged with a gold plum blossom, that is placed on the staff above the flag. Reportedly this flag was abolished in 2002, being replaced by a new one of unknown design. The other position and rank flags of the Army are green and bear the Army badge, with stars or (for colonels) plum blossoms according to position or rank.
Flag Proportions: Most Republic of China Army flags have 2:3 proportions. The current war flag and some other military flags are made in 3:4 proportions, as illustrated.
Credit: My drawing of the Army Commander-in-Chief's flag is based on a picture on p. 110 of Whitney Smith's Flags Through the Ages and Around the World (1975)
Left: WAR FLAG (1912-28) Right: WAR FLAG
Since 1928
POSITION & RANK FLAGS
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
OF THE ARMY (1953-2002)
Left: ARMY CHIEF OF
STAFF Right: ARMY VICE
CHIEF OF STAFF
Left: GENERAL FIRST
CLASS Right: GENERAL
SECOND CLASS
Left:
LIEUTENANT-GENERAL Right:
MAJOR-GENERAL
COLONEL
BACK to CHINA SINCE 1912 Page