National Flag Law of the People's Republic of China
The national flag is the symbol and emblem of the state, representing the sovereignty of the country and the dignity of the nation. In order to safeguard the dignity of the national flag, strengthen citizens' sense of the state and carry forward the spirit of patriotism, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress formulated the National Flag Law of the People's Republic of China in accordance with the Constitution.
As citizens of the People's Republic of China, each of us has the responsibility and obligation to cherish the national flag. So how much do you know about flags? Let's popularize it for everyone.
Legislative background and purpose
The National Flag Law of the People's Republic of China is a law formulated in accordance with the Constitution to safeguard the dignity of the national flag, regulate the use of the national flag, strengthen citizens' national concept, promote the spirit of patriotism, and cultivate and practice the core socialist values. It was adopted by the 14th Meeting of the Standing Committee of the Seventh National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China on 28 June 1990 and came into force on 1 October 1990.
On October 17, 2020, the 22nd Meeting of the Standing Committee of the 13th National People's Congress passed the Decision on Amending the National Flag Law of the People's Republic of China for the second time, which came into force on January 1, 2021.
According to the newly amended National Flag Law, the national flag should be an important part of patriotic education. As citizens of the People's Republic of China, each of us should be aware of the history and spiritual connotations of the flag.
Specific regulations of the National Flag Law
Article 1
This Law is enacted in accordance with the Constitution in order to safeguard the dignity of the National Flag, regulate the use of the National Flag, strengthen citizens' sense of the State, carry forward the spirit of patriotism, and cultivate and practice the core socialist values.
Article II
The national flag of the People's Republic of China is a five-star red flag.
The national flag of the People's Republic of China is made in accordance with the instructions on the national flag system promulgated by the Presidium of the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Article 3
The general scales of the national flag are the five scales listed in the description of the national flag system. The use of national flags of other scales in special circumstances shall be appropriately enlarged or reduced in proportion to the general scale.
The scale and proportion of the national flag and flagpole shall be appropriate and appropriate to the purpose of use, surrounding buildings and surrounding environment.
Article IV
The National Flag of the People's Republic of China is the symbol and emblem of the People's Republic of China.
Every citizen and organization should respect and love the flag.
Article V
The following places or institutions shall display the national flag on a daily basis:
(1) Beijing Tiananmen Square and Xinhua Gate;
(2) the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the State Supervision Commission of the Communist Party of China, the Supreme People's Court, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate; Chinese National Committee of the People's Political Consultative Conference;
(3) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
(4) Airports, ports, railway stations and other border ports, border and coastal defense posts for entry and exit.
Article VI
The National Flag shall be hoisted on weekdays at the location of the following institutions:
(1) the departments of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and local committees at all levels;
(2) departments of the State Council;
(3) the standing committees of local people's congresses at all levels;
(4) local people's governments at all levels;
(5) Local discipline inspection commissions and local supervision commissions at all levels of the Communist Party of China;
(6) Local people's courts and specialized people's courts at all levels;
(7) Local people's procuratorates and specialized people's procuratorates at all levels;
(8) Local committees at all levels of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference;
(9) democratic parties and people's organizations;
(10) the relevant organs of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the relevant organs of the Central People's Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region.
Except for winter vacation, summer vacation and rest days, schools shall display the national flag every day. Kindergartens with conditions shall display the national flag in accordance with the regulations of the school.
Public cultural and sports facilities such as libraries, museums, cultural centers, art galleries, science and technology museums, memorial halls, exhibition halls, gymnasiums, and youth palaces shall be hoisted and displayed on open days.
Article VII
On important holidays and commemorative days such as National Day, International Labor Day, New Year's Day, Spring Festival and National Constitution Day, state organs at all levels, all people's organizations, and public activity venues such as large squares and parks shall display the national flag; Enterprises and institutions, villagers' committees, residents' committees, and residents' houses (buildings, residential areas) shall display the national flag if conditions permit.
The national flag shall be displayed in ethnic autonomous areas on the anniversary of the establishment of ethnic autonomous areas and on major traditional ethnic festivals.
When holding the constitutional oath-taking ceremony, the national flag shall be hoisted at the place where the oath is taken.
Article VIII
Major celebrations, commemorative activities, large-scale cultural and sports activities, large-scale exhibitions, and the national flag may be hoisted.
Article IX
The State encourages citizens and organizations to use the national flag and its designs on appropriate occasions to express patriotic feelings.
Citizens and organizations using the National Flag on the Internet shall comply with relevant network management provisions and must not harm the dignity of the National Flag.
The standard version of the national flag used online is published on Chinese Da.com and the Chinese government website.
Article X
Diplomatic activities and the methods for hoisting, displaying and using the national flag at embassies, consulates and other diplomatic representations abroad shall be prescribed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Article 11
The Central Military Commission shall stipulate the methods for raising and displaying and using the national flag by the Chinese People's Liberation Army and the Chinese People's Armed Police Force.
Article 12
The measures for raising and displaying the national flag on civilian vessels and foreign vessels entering China's territorial waters shall be formulated by the competent department of transportation under the State Council.
Measures for raising and displaying the national flag on ships carrying out entry-exit border inspection, border management and public security tasks shall be formulated by the public security department under the State Council.
The method for raising the national flag on ships of the national comprehensive fire rescue team shall be formulated by the emergency management department under the State Council.
Article 13
Where the national flag is hoisted or displayed in accordance with the provisions of Articles 5, 6 and 7 of this Law, it shall be raised in the morning and lowered in the evening.
Where the national flag shall be hoisted or displayed in accordance with the provisions of this Law, it may not be hoisted or housed in case of bad weather.
Article 14
When the national flag is hoisted, a flag-raising ceremony may be held.
When the flag-raising ceremony is held, the national anthem shall be played and sung. During the raising of the National Flag, persons present shall stand solemnly facing the National Flag, salute or salute in accordance with regulations, and shall not engage in conduct that harms the dignity of the National Flag.
A flag-raising ceremony is held daily in Beijing's Tiananmen Square.
The school holds a flag-raising ceremony once a week except for holidays.
Article 15
The following people passed away, and the flag was flown to half-mast to mourn:
(1) the President of the People's Republic of China, the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the Premier of the State Council, and the Chairman of the Central Military Commission;
(2) Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference;
(3) Persons who have made outstanding contributions to the People's Republic of China;
(4) Persons who have made outstanding contributions to the cause of world peace or human progress.
Where a national memorial ceremony is held or a serious natural disaster, public health emergency or other unfortunate event occurs causing particularly serious casualties, the flag may be flown at half-mast nationwide, or in some areas or specific places.
The flying of the flag at half-mast in accordance with the provisions of Subparagraphs 3, 4 and 2 of the first paragraph of this Article shall be reported to the State Council by the relevant departments of the State Council or the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government for decision.
The date and place of the flag's half-mast in accordance with the provisions of this Article shall be decided by the funeral institution established by the State or by the State Council.
Article 16
The body, coffin or urn of the following persons may be covered with the flag when they die and a mourning ceremony is held:
(1) Persons provided for in Items 1 to 3 of the first paragraph of Article 15 of this Law;
(2) martyrs;
(3) Other persons as prescribed by the State.
When covering the National Flag, the National Flag shall not touch the ground, and the National Flag shall be withdrawn and preserved after the ceremony.
Article XVII
When raising and displaying the national flag, the national flag shall be placed in a prominent position.
When marching in procession carrying the national flag and other flags, the national flag shall precede the other flags.
When the National Flag is hoisted at the same time as other flags, the National Flag shall be placed in the center, higher or prominent position.
When the national flags of two or more countries are hoisted at the same time in foreign affairs activities, they shall be hoisted and displayed in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or international practice.
Article 18
Raising and lowering the national flag on an upright flagpole should be raised and lowered slowly. When raised, the flag must be raised to the top of the pole; When lowered, the flag must not be lowered.
When lowering the flag at half-staff, the flag should be raised to the top of the pole, and then lowered to a distance of one-third of the total length of the flagpole; When lowering, the flag should be raised to the top of the pole and then lowered.
Article 19
The National Flag that is damaged, defaced, faded or out of specification shall not be hoisted or used, and the National Flag shall not be hoisted upside down, inserted upside down or otherwise raised or used in a manner that undermines the dignity of the National Flag.
The flag must not be discarded arbitrarily. National flags that are damaged, defaced, faded or out of specification shall be withdrawn and disposed of in accordance with relevant national provisions. After large-scale mass activities, the organizers of the activities shall withdraw or properly dispose of the national flag used at the event site.
Article XX
The national flag and its designs may not be used as trademarks, patentable designs and commercial advertisements, and may not be used in inappropriate circumstances such as private funeral activities.
Article 21
The national flag should be an important part of patriotic education.
Primary and secondary schools shall educate students to understand the history and spiritual connotation of the national flag, abide by the norms for the hoisting and use of the national flag, and the etiquette of the flag-raising ceremony.
The news media shall actively publicize the knowledge of the national flag and guide citizens and organizations to correctly use the national flag and its designs.
Article 22
The General Office of the State Council shall coordinate the work related to the management of the national flag nationwide. Local people's governments at all levels shall plan and coordinate work related to the management of the national flag within their respective administrative areas.
The market regulatory departments of the people's governments at all levels shall supervise and administer the production and sale of the national flag.
The departments designated by the people's governments at the county level shall supervise and administer the hoisting, use and withdrawal of the national flag within their respective administrative areas.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the competent department of transportation under the State Council and the relevant departments of the Central Military Commission shall supervise and administer the hoisting, use and withdrawal of the national flag within their respective jurisdictions.
Article 23
Whoever intentionally insults the National Flag of the People's Republic of China by burning, destroying, scratching, defiled, trampling, etc. in a public place shall be investigated for criminal responsibility in accordance with law; where the circumstances are minor, the public security organs shall detain them for up to 15 days.
Article 24
This Law shall come into force on October 1, 1990.
Description of the National Flag Making Law
(Promulgated by the Presidium of the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on September 28, 1949)
The shape and color of the national flag are the same, and the five stars on the flag are opposite each other. For convenience, this piece is only based on the standard that the flagpole is on the left side. For the flagpole on the right side, all the left referred to in this article shall be changed to the right, and the right referred to shall be changed to the left.
(1) The flag is red, rectangular, its length and height are three to two, and the upper left side of the flag is decorated with five yellow five-pointed stars. One star is larger, and its outer circle diameter is three-tenths of the height of the flag, on the left; The four-star is smaller, with an outer circle diameter of one-tenth the height of the flag, and the ring arches to the right of the large star. The flagpole cover is white.
(2) The position and drawing method of the five stars are as follows:
A. In order to facilitate the determination of the position of the five stars, first divide the face of the flag into four equal rectangles, divide the rectangle in the upper left into ten equal parts, and divide the left and right into fifteen equal parts.
B. The center point of the large pentagram is five below five on the rectangle, five on the left and ten on the right. The drawing method is: take this point as the center of the circle, and divide the radius into three equal parts to make a circle. On this circumference, five equidistant points are determined, one of which must be directly above the circle. Then connect the two points separated by each of these five points so that each of them forms a straight line. The outer contour line formed by these five straight lines is the required large five-pointed star. One of the corners of the pentagram is facing upwards.
C. The center point of the four small five-pointed stars, the first point is two lower eight and left ten right five places on the rectangle, the second point is at the upper four lower six, left twelve right three, the third point is at the upper seven lower three, left twelve right three, the fourth point is at the upper nine down, left ten right five places. The drawing method is: take the above four points as the center of the circle, each divided into a radius, and make four circles respectively. Five equidistant points are set on each circle, one of which must be on the line connecting the center point of the Great Pentagram and the center of the above four circles. Then in the same way as the large pentagram, a small pentagram is formed. Each of the four small five-pointed stars has an angular tip facing the center point of the large five-pointed star.
(3) The general scale of the national flag shall be set as follows, which shall be selected by all walks of life as appropriate:
A. It is 288 cm long and 192 cm high.
B. Length 240 cm, height 160 cm.
C. It is 192 cm long and 128 cm high.
D, length 144 cm, height 96 cm.
It is 96 cm long and 64 cm high.
Flag making pattern
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Source: Chinese government website