The National Flag and Anthem
FoundationThe national flag is the Five-star Red Flag and the anthem is March of the Volunteers. Stand solemnly at the flag-raising and anthem — respect for our country.
- The flag is the Five-star Red Flag; one big and four small stars stand for unity.
- The emblem has Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear — solemn and sacred.
- The anthem is March of the Volunteers, singing unity and courage.
文體小知識：這種說明文介紹國旗、國徽和國歌的意義，教你升旗和奏唱國歌的正確禮儀。
§Text Passage
1The national flag of the People's Republic of China is the Five-star Red Flag. The field is red, standing for the blood of revolutionary martyrs whose courage brought today's happy life; in the upper left are five yellow stars — one big star leading four small ones — showing all the people closely united. The yellow stars shine on the red flag, a sign of light over the land. Every dawn a solemn flag-raising ceremony is held at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.
2The national emblem is the round symbol of the state: at its centre is Tiananmen lit by the Five-star Red Flag, ringed by ears of wheat and rice and a gear. The wheat and rice stand for farmers, the gear for workers — together they mean the great unity of the whole people. The emblem is solemn and sacred; it appears on government buildings, passports and important documents. We must respect the emblem and never scribble on or damage it.
3The national anthem is March of the Volunteers, with lyrics by Tian Han and music by Nie Er, written in the dark days of the War of Resistance. The song calls on the people to unite and march on bravely; its melody is firm and powerful, singing the unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation. When the anthem is played and sung, we stand at attention facing the flag, solemn and still — no laughing, no walking about, no talking. That is the most basic respect for our country.
4School assemblies and many occasions hold flag-raising ceremonies. As the flag rises, everyone stands at attention — straight and tall, feet together — faces the flag and salutes with the eyes, following the flag as it climbs; the anthem is sung loud and in unison. Even if you are walking when the flag rises, stop and stand facing it until the ceremony ends. These ceremonies express our respect for the country and the pride of being Chinese.
1Summary 重點摘要
The national flag is the Five-star Red Flag and the anthem is March of the Volunteers. Stand solemnly at the flag-raising and anthem — respect for our country.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
The flag standing for a country; ours is the Five-star Red Flag.
Our national flag: a red field with one big star and four small stars.
The round symbol of the state with Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear.
The song standing for a country; ours is March of the Volunteers.
Our national anthem, lyrics by Tian Han and music by Nie Er.
The solemn ceremony of raising the flag while the anthem plays.
Standing straight, still and solemn.
Watching the flag as a sign of respect, following it as it rises.
Serious, respectful and not playful.
3Step by step Steps
- Step 1: Know the Five-star Red FlagThe Five-star Red Flag is the national flag of the People's Republic of China. The field is red, standing for the blood of revolutionary martyrs whose courage won today's happy life; in the upper left are five yellow stars — one big star leading four small ones, the small ones standing for all the people closely united around it. The yellow stars stand out brightly on the red field, a sign of light over the land. The flag is the symbol of the country and its dignity — we must care for and respect it, never scribbling on it or throwing it away.
- Step 2: The meaning of the national emblemThe national emblem is the round symbol of the state: Tiananmen at the centre, five gold stars above, and ears of wheat and rice with a gear around them. The wheat and rice stand for farmers and the gear for workers — together they show the great unity of workers, farmers and all the people building the country with one heart. The emblem is solemn and sacred, appearing on government buildings, passports, courts and important documents. Wherever we see it, it represents the country. Respect the emblem — never scribble on or damage it, or use it disrespectfully.
- Step 3: The story of the anthemThe national anthem is March of the Volunteers, lyrics by Tian Han and music by Nie Er, born over eighty years ago when the country was in danger during the War of Resistance. The song calls the people to build a great wall of flesh and blood, unite and march on bravely; its melody is firm and powerful, singing the unyielding spirit of the Chinese nation. At Olympic medal ceremonies, when national athletes win gold, the flag rises and the anthem plays while the whole hall stands solemnly. Hearing the anthem, we know the country is with us — pride and strength rise in our hearts.
- Step 4: Learn the flag-raising etiquetteThere is a right way to join a flag-raising ceremony. When the anthem starts and the flag rises, stop moving at once and stand at attention facing the flag: stand straight and tall, feet together, hands naturally at your sides; lift your head and salute with the eyes, following the flag as it slowly climbs to the top of the pole. Do the same at school assemblies, in the hall, or while watching a live broadcast. Those few minutes of standing still are the most direct respect for the country — an etiquette every Chinese person should learn.
- Step 5: Be solemn when the anthem playsWhile the anthem is played and sung, stand up straight facing the flag or the front, solemn in manner: no talking, no laughing, no looking around, no hands in pockets. When singing along, sing loudly and in time, with spirit; if you cannot sing yet, listen quietly. Do not move off before the ceremony ends. The anthem stands for the country's dignity; treating it solemnly is respecting the country, and it shows those around us the awareness and pride of being Chinese.
- Step 6: Respect national symbols every dayThe flag, the emblem and the anthem are the symbols of the country, and respecting them is every citizen's duty. In daily life: stand solemnly at flag-raising ceremonies; pause and watch when the flag rises and the anthem plays on TV; take care of items printed with the flag and emblem — never throw them about or scribble on them; learn the meaning of the flag and emblem and tell your family; hang the flag properly at your door on festive days. Start with small things, and respecting national symbols becomes second nature — be a responsible Chinese person.
5Worked example Example
Example: At the school assembly flag-raising, Keung walks about and chats, while Fan stands straight, watching the flag and singing the anthem. Who is right? State the correct etiquette.
- Judge first: Keung walks and chats while the flag rises and the anthem plays — that is not solemn, so he is wrong.
- Fan is right: she stands at attention, feet together, faces the flag with a salute of the eyes, and sings the anthem solemnly.
- Correct etiquette: as soon as the anthem starts, stand still, eyes on the flag — no talking, no laughing, no looking around.
- If you are walking when the flag rises, stop and stand facing the flag until the ceremony ends.
- Answer: Fan is right. During the flag-raising and anthem, stand at attention, face the flag, salute with the eyes and sing solemnly; Keung should stop and stand still at once instead of walking and chatting.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1What is our national flag?
Q2How many stars are on the flag?
Q3What is our national anthem called?
Q4What should we do when the flag is raised?
Q5What do the wheat ears and gear on the emblem stand for?
8Recap Recap
- The flag is the Five-star Red Flag; one big and four small stars stand for unity.
- The emblem has Tiananmen, wheat ears and a gear — solemn and sacred.
- The anthem is March of the Volunteers, singing unity and courage.
- At the flag-raising stand at attention, salute with the eyes, no talking or giggling.
- Respect the flag, the emblem and the anthem — be a proud Chinese person.