National Emblem of the People's Republic of China
Encyclopedia
The national emblem of the People's Republic of China
contains a representation of Tiananmen Gate, the entrance gate of the Forbidden City
from the Tiananmen Square
in Beijing
, in a red circle. Above this representation are the five stars found on the national flag
. The largest star represents the Communist Party of China
, while the four smaller stars represent the four social classes as defined in Maoism
. The emblem is described as being "Composed of patterns of the national flag." These elements were described as
The outer circle has a border that contains sheaves of wheat
and the inner sheaves of rice
reflecting the Maoist
philosophy of an agricultural revolution
. At the center of the bottom portion of the border is a cog-wheel that represents the industrial workers.
These elements together were designed to symbolise the revolutionary struggles of the Chinese people since the May Fourth Movement
, and the coalition of the proletariat
s which succeeded in founding the People's Republic of China.
, a famous architect
, in a competition held at the founding of the People's Republic of China
with obvious similarities to the symbols used by the USSR. It was determined as the national emblem on September 20, 1950, by the Central People's Government.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
contains a representation of Tiananmen Gate, the entrance gate of the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
from the Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is a large city square in the center of Beijing, China, named after the Tiananmen Gate located to its North, separating it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the third largest city square in the world...
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, in a red circle. Above this representation are the five stars found on the national flag
Flag of the People's Republic of China
The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...
. The largest star represents the Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
, while the four smaller stars represent the four social classes as defined in Maoism
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
. The emblem is described as being "Composed of patterns of the national flag." These elements were described as
...The red color of the flag symbolizes revolution and the yellow color of the stars the golden brilliant rays radiating from the vast red land. The design of four smaller stars surrounding a bigger one signifies the unity of the Chinese people under the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC)
—China Yearbook 2004
The outer circle has a border that contains sheaves of wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
and the inner sheaves of rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
reflecting the Maoist
Maoism
Maoism, also known as the Mao Zedong Thought , is claimed by Maoists as an anti-Revisionist form of Marxist communist theory, derived from the teachings of the Chinese political leader Mao Zedong . Developed during the 1950s and 1960s, it was widely applied as the political and military guiding...
philosophy of an agricultural revolution
Agricultural revolution
Agricultural Revolution or Agrarian Revolution may refer to:*The Neolithic Revolution , the initial transition from hunting and gathering to settled agriculture in prehistory...
. At the center of the bottom portion of the border is a cog-wheel that represents the industrial workers.
These elements together were designed to symbolise the revolutionary struggles of the Chinese people since the May Fourth Movement
May Fourth Movement
The May Fourth Movement was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement growing out of student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919, protesting the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles, especially the Shandong Problem...
, and the coalition of the proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
s which succeeded in founding the People's Republic of China.
History
The emblem was designed by Liang SichengLiang Sicheng
Liang Sicheng was the son of Liang Qichao, a well-known Chinese thinker in the late Qing Dynasty. Liang Sicheng returned to China from the United States after studying at the University of Pennsylvania...
, a famous architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, in a competition held at the founding of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
with obvious similarities to the symbols used by the USSR. It was determined as the national emblem on September 20, 1950, by the Central People's Government.