![[Empire of China]](../images/c/cn-1915.gif)
image by Kazutaka Nishiura, 23 February 2010Source: picture of the flag from " Atlas of Flags in China" 2003.
Last modified: 2020-07-31 by ian macdonald
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image by Kazutaka Nishiura, 23 February 2010
Source: picture of the flag from " Atlas of Flags in
China" 2003.
Yuan Shi-kai set up a China Empire in 1916, which lasted only 81 days. From
a black and white photograph, a flag was depicted that was adopted for this empire.
Michael Yuh-horng Wang, 13 January 1997
The saltire design shows that this was probably used during 1916, when Yuan
Shih-Kai was Emperor of China.
Miles Li, 18 May 2002
The Empire of China flag used by Yuan Shikai for
his usurpation to restore feudal Empire.
The red saltire flag on white, yellow, black and blue field.
The Empire of China (simplified Chinese: 中华帝国; traditional Chinese: 中華帝國;
pinyin: Zhōnghuá Dìguó) was a short-lived attempt by statesman and
general Yuan Shikai from late 1915 to early 1916 to reinstate monarchy in
China. The attempt was ultimately a failure, but it set back the Chinese
republican cause by many years and fractured China into a hodgepodge of
squabbling warlord factions.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 04 December 2009
I have been reviewing the "Encyclopedia of modern China" ed. David Pong
(Gale, 2009) which under the heading "National Flags and National Anthems"
(vol.3, pp.6-8) includes a reference you may find of interest. It refer to a
website
which, being in Chinese, I have not consulted.
Between 22/10/1915 and 22/3/1916, when Yuan Shikai was trying to make himself
Emperor, a new flag was announced, in the five colours of the first Republican
flag, but arranged as a red saltire with the four triangles between in yellow,
blue, white and black. They do not say in what order these appeared.
Kenneth Fraser, 08 October 2010
![[Manchuoko]](../images/c/cn-mk22.gif)
image by Jaume Ollé, 03 February 1999
Adopted in 1922 by Chang Tso-lin when he proclaimed the autonomy of Manchuria.
Jaume Ollé, 03 February 1999
It's the flag of
Fengtian Clique, led
by Zhang Zuolin (Chang Tso-lin in Wade-Giles).
Akira Oyo, 18 April 2014
![[Guominjun Clique]](../images/c/cn_zn1924.gif)
image by Jaume Ollé, 03 February 1999
Flag used by the Guominjun (Kuominchun) clique, 1924-1930.
The symbol in the
middle means "Feng", surname of its leader, Feng Yuxiang. I've based the drawing
from a black & white photo and the color on the armbands of the army.
Jean-Marc Merklin, 3 March 2019
![[Manchuoko]](../images/c/cn_nanzh.gif)
image by Jaume Ollé
It was an ancient Tai kingdom in southern China centered around present-day
Yunnan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nan_Chao
There is nothing known of the eventual flags of those kingdoms, conquered by the
Mongols (Kublai Khan) in 1253 and becoming part of the Chinese Empire,
effectively under the Manchu rule in 1650.
After the Franco-Chinese war of 1884-85 the Nan Zhao region found itself in the
French zone of influence and unhindered by the weak Manchu government enjoyed a
far-reaching degree of autonomy until 1927 when the Chinese Nationalist Army of
Chiang Kai-shek entered its territory. Their arrogant and careless actions
provoked the Tais (Chuang ) into secession.
The rebel leaders declared the independence from China, appealed for, and
received the indirect French help from Tonkin, and resisted Nationalist attacks
until 1929, but the local warlords still maintained virtual independence in the
chaotic China.
The communist Chinese, faced with rebellion of the Chuangs in 1950, split their
territory between several provinces to quell the dissent.
The flag of the independent Nan Zhao of 1927-29 is featured in James B. Minahan
book "Nations Without States" and described as the flag of the "national
movement": "red field bearing a centered yellow, six-pointed star".
Image of that flag attached below is the work of Jaume Ollé y Casals.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 22 July 2009
This flag is almost identical to the second flag of Sinkiang under the rule
of the warlord Cheng-Chi-Tsai (does it looks like a proper Chinese name ?) as
reported by Franciae Vexilla.
Now, that flag and the one of Nan Zhao differ slightly in the shape of the star,
so it might be just a coincidence in the similarity of these flags ?
Or, one of the reports is wrong ? Isn't it a good question to ponder upon
? Any comments on the subject would be greatly appreciated.
If the Chinese website is to be trusted
there is a difference in the stars appearing on
flags of: Nan Zhao
and the 1942-44 flag of Turkestan Soviet Republic (second flag of Sinkiang under
Sheng Shicai (or Sheng Shih-ts'ai - 盛世才) (that's the proper name of the
gentleman who was top honcho there:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheng_Shicai)
This flag looks like that
http://blog.pcpop.com/picture/0002481970-1.html
The problem with this website is that most, but not all, flags were taken from
FOTW, but, anyway, it is something to consider, IMVHO.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 23 July 2009
Ah.. the fun of transliterating... if we are using modern romanisations for
his name, perhaps we should say Xinjiang, rather than Sinkiang?
As for the flags, it seems we have a source for a Sinkiang/Xinjiang red flag
with 6-pointed yellow star oriented in one direction and a Nan Zhao red flag
with yellow star in different orientation. I'm no expert on Chinese vexillology,
but without knowing the ultimate sources for such information, it wouldn't
surprise me if several orientations of the star were found in both cases.
Again, without knowing how widely used the flags were, it is hard to say whether
there is any link. It is a reasonably obvious combination of symbols in that
part of the world, so it could be a complete coincidence.
Jonathan Dixon, 24 July 2009
As the spelling is concerned, I think both terms are valid IMVHO. Xinjiang
being the modern, reformed transliteration and Sinkiang being a traditional and
historical English name of the region. Even the
wikipedia page
intermingles both forms on the same page.
Chrystian Kretowicz, 24 July 2009
This is a serious misunderstand and mix-up of southwestern Chinese history.
First, after 1912, so-called "Nan Zhao region" in China was ruled under the
warlords, Guangxi Clique
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guangxi_Clique and Yunnan Clique
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunnan_clique, and it was the main area of the
KMT Government before "Northern Expedition
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Expedition ".
Second, in 1927, the Chinese Nationalist Army of Chiang Kai-shek had been
attacking the Peking Government (also known as Beiyang Government) since
mid-1926, but not entered or attacked this area.
Third, in 1950, the rebellion Communist China faced with was of the KMT Army,
but not of the Chuangs.
Moreover, the book sourced is commented as "many mistakes" (see:
http://www.amazon.com/Nations-without-States-Contemporary-Historiography/dp/0313283540
and
http://www.amazon.com/Nations-without-States-Contemporary-Historiography/dp/0313283540
).
Thus, this flag probably never existed in so-called "Nan Zhao region" in China
and was created with a rumor.
Akira Oyo, 21 April 2014
![[Flag of Generalissimo]](../images/c/cn-1927gnls.gif)
image by Eric Yang Soong, 01 June 2014
ROC Beiyang Government adopted a flag of Generalissimo on Sep 26 1927
by Generalissimo Order No 263.
The five striped flag has a 十二 章12 designs in a canton with apricot yellow
fringe.
Actually the flag was designed for Zhang Zuolin Generalissimo.
The 12 designs are basically used for Chinese Emperor’s cloth
to indicate his authority which includes:
moon, sun, mountain, dragon, star, fire, ax, waterweeds, white rice,
pheasant, ceremonial vessel, the letter 亞 representing sharpness.
Here's some information translated from the document description:
- Ratio: 5:3
- Fringe:
Color: Apricot yellow (杏黄色);
Width: 13.3 cm (4 Chinese inches - 四寸)
- Canton field:
Color: White. (白色空地)
Length: 58 cm x 58 cm, square (一方横直各一尺七寸五分)
- 12 designs (十二章)
Embroidered, with its original color pattern, double sided.
- Wheat ring (嘉禾):
Color: Golden yellow (金黄色)
- Flag sleeve:
Made with yellow silk. (黄绸)
- Flag pole:
Color: Vermilion (red, 朱红色)
Length: 250 cm
Pole diameter: 7 cm
- Flag pole head:
Made in a 17cm bronze spear, with a 23cm red ribbon decoration.
English translation of the official Chinese written document from Nozomi
Kariyasu
Nozomi Kariyasu, 01 June 2014
This flag was showed with the staff on the right in the official document.
Akira Oyo, 01 June 2014
