OCR Text |
Show CHINA'S NEMATIONAL FLAU Conspicuous by the Abeenee of the Dragon, tht Symbol of All- Powerful Emptror. . Tho history of the national flag of tho republic of China (Chunghua Mlngkuo) dales back, says the Christian Chris-tian Sclenco Monitor, to 1012. when the live-colored, or rainbow flag, was adopted by the republican gnrernment as its national standard. During the existence of tho Manctm dynasty tho yellow dragon was the national na-tional enslcn or the Tatslng empire. While the yellow ground represents Hie Imperial color, the dragon ayni-bollxcs ayni-bollxcs the personality of the emperor. Such imperialistic sign was, of course, not adaptable to republican Ideas nnd Institutions. On October 10, mil, tho revolutionary revolution-ary war nl Wuchang raised a Its miliary mil-iary slamliird n Hag of blue ground nnd white center, signifying n uhllo sun In Jim blue sky. A Hag with live horizontal stripes of live different colors was, however, used by the 'provisional 'pro-visional government, which was set up nl Nanking on January 1. 1012. Rut when the north and south were united on February 12 at the abdication of Hie Jliuicliii dynasty, the yellow dragon finally passed out of existence; nnd the rainbow, or lire-colored Hag, became the national ensign of the newly established es-tablished republic, representing the unity of the five great races which live within Us territory. The five colors nrered. yellow, blue, white and black, ropresentlnii respectively the Chinese (Ilnnren), the Manchus, the Mongols, the Mulinmmedaris, nnd the Tlbc-ixn. Tlbc-ixn. The five stripes of fly.0 JUKrcnt colors are also Interpreted To mean the live fundamentals of Confucius, namely, name-ly, benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, cour-tesy, wisdom and faith. The unique feature of the Chinese national ling Is that Its live horizontal stripes of live different colors signify not only the unity but nlso the equality equali-ty of the live great races brought under un-der the republican regime. It proclaims pro-claims to the world that the citizens of thu republic are now firmly united under' 'n democratic government, co operating to safeguard the Interests nnd promote the wulfuru of the Chinese nation. |