National Flag, Emblem and the Regional Flag
FoundationThe five-star red flag is the national flag; the bauhinia flag stands for Hong Kong; stand at attention during the flag-raising to show respect.
- The five-star red flag is China's national flag: red with yellow stars.
- The national emblem has Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear.
- The Hong Kong regional flag is red with a white bauhinia.
文體小知識：說明文介紹國旗、國徽和區旗、區徽的樣子與意義，看升旗禮時就能明白。
§Text Passage
1China's national flag is the five-star red flag: a red field with five yellow stars in the upper left — one big, four small. Red stands for revolution, the big star for the Communist Party of China, and the four small stars for the unity of the people.
2China's national emblem shows Tiananmen with five stars above, ringed by wheat ears and a gear, standing for farmers and workers. National Day is the first of October; the whole country celebrates, and schools in Hong Kong hold flag-raising ceremonies too.
3The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has its own regional flag: a red field with a white bauhinia flower in the centre, each of its five petals bearing a red star. The bauhinia symbolises Hong Kong, and the regional emblem uses the same design. The first of July is Hong Kong's establishment day.
4At a flag-raising, stand at attention, face the flag and watch solemnly — no talking or playing. This shows respect for the country. Learn the national flag, emblem, regional flag and emblem, remember their designs and meanings, and be a good student who loves the country and Hong Kong.
1Summary 重點摘要
The five-star red flag is the national flag; the bauhinia flag stands for Hong Kong; stand at attention during the flag-raising to show respect.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The flag that stands for a country; China's is the five-star red flag.
The emblem of the country, with Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear.
The flag of the Hong Kong SAR — red with a white flower.
The emblem of the Hong Kong SAR, with the same bauhinia design.
China's national flag — red with five yellow stars.
The white flower on the regional flag, symbol of Hong Kong.
The solemn ceremony of raising the flag; stand quietly at attention.
The first of October, marking the founding of the People's Republic of China.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know the national flagThe national flag stands for the country, and our national flag is the Five-star Red Flag. Its bright red field stands for the revolution; in the upper left corner is one big star with four small stars around it, all in yellow, and the five stars stand for the close unity of the whole nation. At the flag-raising ceremony, watch the flag rise slowly with the song and fill your heart with respect. A common mistake is mixing up the positions of the five stars; the big star sits in the upper left with four small stars circling it — look carefully when drawing.
- Step 2: Know the national emblemThe national emblem solemnly stands for the country and is as important as the flag. In its centre is the mighty Tiananmen, with five golden stars above, wheat ears and a gear around, and a ribbon linking the design below. The wheat ears stand for farmers and the gear stands for workers, showing all the people building our great country together. A common mistake is thinking the emblem is a flag like the national flag; the emblem is a badge found on government buildings and important documents, different from the flag in both look and use.
- Step 3: Know the regional flagThe Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has its own regional flag and emblem. The regional flag has a red field with a white bauhinia flower in the middle; each of its five petals carries a red star, showing that Hong Kong people love the motherland, and the regional emblem uses the same design. The bauhinia is the symbol of Hong Kong, and the red background with the white flower is lovely and meaningful. A common mistake is treating the regional flag and the national flag as one; each has its own meaning — the national flag stands for the country, and the regional flag stands for the Hong Kong SAR.
- Step 4: Remember the key datesThere are two important days we must remember well. The first of October is National Day, the birthday of our motherland, with a flag-raising ceremony and celebrations; the first of July is the establishment day of the Hong Kong SAR, marking Hong Kong's return to the motherland. On these special days, flags and lights fill the streets and everything is lively. A common mistake is mixing up the two dates; the first of October belongs to the nation and the first of July belongs to Hong Kong — remember the meaning behind each day and the dates stay clear.
- Step 5: Learn flag ceremony mannersLearning flag ceremony manners is our way of showing respect for the country. Stand at attention with your body straight, face the flag, watch solemnly as it rises, follow the flag with your eyes, and stay quiet the whole time — no talking and no playing. Children who take the flag-raising ceremony seriously carry deep respect for the motherland in their hearts. Why be solemn? The flag stands for the country, and the ceremony is a salute to it. A common mistake is joking with classmates during the ceremony; that shows disrespect — standing quietly at attention is the proper attitude.
- Step 6: Make it by handMaking a little national flag by hand helps us remember firmly what it looks like. Cut a rectangle from red paper for the field, cut one big star and four small stars from yellow paper, and paste them in the upper left of the field. Then tell your family what each star and each colour means, as a little flag ambassador. Why make it by hand? Making it while explaining fixes the memory deeply. A common mistake is pasting the stars carelessly in the wrong places; compare with a real national flag and match the positions and sizes with care.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Example: at the school flag-raising, On was still joking with classmates as the anthem played. What did he do wrong, and what should he do?
- The flag-raising is a solemn ceremony; when the anthem plays, stand quietly and face the flag.
- Joking and playing show disrespect to the flag and the anthem — that is where On went wrong.
- He should stop at once, stand at attention with his body straight, and face the flag in solemn watch.
- He may sing the anthem in his heart, feel the solemnity, and stay quiet throughout.
- Answer: On was wrong to joke and play during the flag-raising. He should stop immediately, stand quietly at attention, face the flag in solemn watch, and stay silent until the ceremony ends. The flag stands for the country, and the ceremony is a salute to the nation that everyone must take seriously.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is China's national flag called?
Q2How many stars are on the national flag?
Q3Which flower is on the Hong Kong regional flag?
Q4When is National Day?
Q5What should we do at a flag-raising?
8Recap Recap
- The five-star red flag is China's national flag: red with yellow stars.
- The national emblem has Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear.
- The Hong Kong regional flag is red with a white bauhinia.
- National Day is the first of October; establishment day the first of July.
- Stand at attention at the flag-raising to respect the country.